Whether you’re looking to bake sweet Halloween treats with your kids, or plan on having them help prep the Thanksgiving meal, here’s where you and your children can learn cooking skills together throughout October and November.
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Kids’ Decorating Class: Halloween Tricks and Treats
Saturday, Oct. 12, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Each child in this class, available to ages 5 to 10, will create “mummy and witches fingers” (chocolate-covered pretzels) and Halloween-themed sprinkled cake pops. Your child will make eight of each and will learn how to mold, shape and dip the treats while enjoying light refreshments. // Fran’s Cake & Candy Supplies: 10927 Main St., Fairfax; $75
Autumnal Cupcake Wars
Monday, OCt. 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
This one-day camp will help your tiny chef become more confident in creating cupcakes, and these little treats will all have a fall theme. Recipes will include pumpkin ginger cupcakes, maple bacon Frech toast cupcakes and more. // Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center: 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax; $90
Maggiano’s Little Chef’s A Spook-tacular Halloween Cooking Class
Saturday, Oct. 26, 8:30-10 a.m.
Get into the Halloween spirit with this class that focuses on the holiday and Italian food. There will be cooking, decorating pumpkins and the chance to eat tasty treats like pumpkin pancakes. Children are also encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. // Maggiano’s Little Italy: 2001 International Drive, McLean; $0-$26
Spooktacular Kids’ Pizza Party
Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-noon
Let your little ones create one of the most kid-approved meals on the planet: pizza! This hands-on class, being held at Matchbox’s Pentagon City and Fairfax locations, will include a chef’s hat, crayons, a coloring page, a tour of the kitchen and pizza ovens, a lesson on making pizzas (each child will make a personal-sized one) and a candy table with cookie jack-o’-lanterns for decorating.Plus, there’s a round of mimosas on the house for the adults. Cheers to that! // Matchbox Pentagon City: 1100 S. Hayes St., Suite 120, Arlington; Matchbox Fairfax: 2911 District Ave., Suite 120, Fairfax; $32
Kids’ Spooktacular Treats
Saturday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m.
Spiderweb chocolate brownies, mummy cookies and jack-o’-lantern cake pops on a witch’s broomstick? Yes, yes and yes. Your kid can discover how to mix, roll, cut and decorate all these fun treats. Best part? They get to take the goodies home. // Sur la Table: 1101 S. Joyce St., Suite B-20, Arlington; $49
Maggiano’s Thanksgiving Kids’ Cooking Class
Saturday, Nov. 16, 9-11 a.m.
Get excited for the upcoming Thanksgiving meals and traditions at Maggiano’s Little Italy. The course will teach you and your child how to make Italian food with Thanksgiving twists, and there will also be festive arts and crafts and breakfast items to indulge in. // Maggiano’s Little Italy: 2001 International Drive, McLean; $0-$26
Parent and Child: Thanksgiving Teamwork
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2-5 p.m.
Are the kids old enough now to help you create your annual Thanksgiving meal? Head to Culinaria, where you and your child will create a mini feast that covers all of the highlights of traditional Thanksgiving foods, including roast turkey with herbed gravy, mushroom-sausage stuffing, cheesy broccoli casserole, cranberry sauce and pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting. // Culinaria Cooking School: 110 Pleasant St., NW, Vienna; $135
Kids’ Decorating Class: Thanksgiving Centerpiece
Sunday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Maybe your kids aren’t quite ready to learn how to make a real turkey, but they’ll love creating a turkey centerpiece made out of chocolate-covered pretzels and cake pops. The workshop will include a box for each child to take home their treats, and each child will make eight cake pops and eight turkey centerpieces. // Fran’s Cake & Candy Supplies: 10927 Main St., Fairfax; $75
