A kids cooking school is an educational program that teaches kids the basics of cooking. It is generally not an actual school, but rather a program that takes place after the standard school day, on the weekend, or over the summer. Parents can sign their kids up for a kids cooking school, and kids can learn how to make some basic recipes, as well as how to be safe in the kitchen. Classes are usually fairly short in order to keep kids' interest.
A kids cooking school usually requires a small fee per child, and requires each child to be of a certain age for safety purposes. Some cooking programs will work with younger children, but generally a child should be at least ten years of age or older in order to participate in a kids cooking school. Otherwise, everything that is needed for the class should be provided by the school; parents or kids should not need to provide any supplies.
A class in cooking for kids will generally always begin with the safety basics. This may include items such as always wearing gloves when taking things in and out of the oven, always being certain to chop things carefully when using knives, and to turn off the oven when finished. The extent of the instruction provided depends on the ages of the kids in the class; very young children will obviously not be learning about turning the oven on and off, but parents should review the topics that will be covered in the class ahead of time.
After learning the basics, students participating in a kids cooking school will start to learn some simple recipes. Usually, instructors teaching cooking classes for children will try to make recipes that kids will enjoy and are simple enough that they won't get frustrated or make too much of a mess. These might include treats such as chocolate chip cookies or brownies, or dinners such as spaghetti. Of course, many different types of recipes may be taught in a cooking class for kids, and they may increase in difficulty level as the class goes on.
There may be different levels of cooking classes offered at kids cooking schools as well. These classes may be intended for kids of different ages or ability levels, such as beginner, intermediate, and advanced cooking classes. Kids who enjoy taking cooking classes may continue to take them throughout high school, and it could even lead to a career in the culinary arts.