Looking for a way to get your preschooler excited about food and cooking? Maybe you’re hoping to entice your picky eater into trying new foods, or hoping to get them excited about healthier eating. Or maybe you’re simply looking for an engaging way to teach them fun life skills.
Regardless of your reasoning, the new Kids in the Kitchen cooking workshops are built to offer parents the opportunity to introduce their children to the world of wonders that exists in the kitchen.
These two-hour hands-on kitchen workshops are created specifically to introduce 3-4 year old children to the basics of cooking. They will learn numerous skills including how to use their senses while cooking, how to safely navigate kitchen spaces and tools and how to clean up when they are done. During each workshop, children will prepare two individual snacks and learn to work collaboratively on a group recipe.
Upcoming classes will be held On Nov. 15 and 17, with morning and afternoon sessions available at the Mequon Public Market or Faith Community Pathways in Cedarburg.
Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Mequon Public Market
6300 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon
Cost: $50 (includes one child and one adult)
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Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Faith Community Pathways
N36W6851 Wilson St., Cedarburg
Cost: $50 (includes one child and one adult)
[Get tickets]
About Kids in the Kitchen
The classes were created by two former stay-at-home moms: Lauren O’Brien, a part-time marketing professional and creator of More Happy Kitchens and Sally Wagner, a former elementary special education teacher and creator of Sweet Peas and ABCs.
Both have common interests in cooking and sustainability and both have raised their children to be active learners in the kitchen. So when their youngest children entered all-day kindergarten, they got to talking about ways to use their extra time, collective skills and passion for cooking to assist others.
Currently, Kids in the Kitchen cooking workshops are open to preschool aged children (3-4 years old) accompanied by a grown-up (parent, guardian or care-giver). But O’Brien and Wagner have plans to expand their class offerings to include elementary school-aged children as well.
For additional information about Kids in the Kitchen, or to inquire about private classes or birthday parties, email Lauren O’Brien at morehappykitchen@gmail.com. You can also get to know the organizers by following them on social media at @sweetpeasandabcs and @morehappykitchens.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
