Looking for a fun summer project that your kids will enjoy? Use individualized recipe books to add creativity, delicious food, and family time to your kids’ summer vacation. Making a book for each of your children can cater to their tastes, preferences, and personalities in so many ways.
There are many websites available that can help you create a professional-looking cookbook for each of your kids. However, such an approach would not create a project that the whole family could enjoy. Instead, try using the following tips to come up with cookbooks that are uniquely suited to your own children’s personalities. First, buy several three-ring binders and a pack of photo pages. These pages can be the clear plastic sleeves that you simply stick the recipe or other information into, or they could be paper pages that can be decorated in scrapbook format. Either layout will allow you to add personal touches into each page.
Next, have every child make a list of his favorite foods, whether that be a holiday food, Grandma’s specialty, or a weeknight favorite around the house. This is an excellent dinner topic that can be discussed often around the breakfast or dinner table, or during any other family time. Once every child has several recipes on his list, begin gathering the recipes. Using fun recipe cards, such as Mickey Mouse recipe cards or teddy bear cards, adds theme and color to the recipe book; you can even find themed printouts for recipe cards online, and print them out at home. If the child loves Grandpa’s popcorn, ask Grandpa to write it down, as simple as the procedure may be. Have any family members who are willing write out their own recipes, leaving a legacy that will not be soon forgotten.
The final step in making your child’s own recipe book is to assemble all the parts. If desired, decorate the binder into which all the recipes will go. Using paints, sequins, glue, and colored paper will surely create an afternoon of fun. You can even use stickers, markers, and pictures on the recipe pages themselves. No matter what you use to make Mike’s recipe book uniquely Mike’s, remember to encourage the child to design pages that are fun and meaningful for him. Allowing the child to participate in the process of assembling his/her own recipe book will ensure that the child remembers that project and everything that made it special, whether that be the legacy behind the recipes, the food itself, or the fun that is incorporated into every page.
This simple tutorial of how to make a recipe book for your child is, quite simply, a springboard off which you and your children should be able to come up with many creative ideas of your own. For a truly adventurous day, you could always pick one or two recipes to actually make as the crowning achievement of the day. Days in the kitchen are always fun for children, whether they be with glue and paper or eggs and sugar, or both!
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