Have you ever tried to decorate cookies with young kids?
Not the sweet, curated Instagram version, the real-life version.
The one where someone’s crying, someone’s licking frosting off the table, and you’re wondering why you didn’t just hand them a candy cane and call it a day.
Every year, I think about baking cookies from scratch with my kids. I imagine the bonding, the warm smells, the joy… And then I laugh and laugh because I could NEVER. I’m not a great baker; I’m terrible at baking, and my kids don’t need a mom who is stressed and trying to be perfect. They want fun, autonomy, and… sugar!!
My book But I’m Bored is officially available to order. I wrote But I’m Bored for every parent who’s ever questioned the hustle. Who’s looked at the endless enrichment options and wondered, “Is this really what my kid needs?”
This book is for you if you’ve ever thought:
What if we just… slowed down? What if play is the thing that builds everything else?
WHAT’S IN THIS POST:
– The truth about “fun” holiday baking
– A real-life cookie station setup that works (and keeps your patience intact)
– Why individual sprinkle trays are the unsung hero of December
– How to adjust for toddlers, preschoolers, and grade school kids
– TL;DR checklist at the bottom
So here’s what I do instead:
I buy break-and-bake sugar cookie dough.
I roll it out (this year with a jar from the recycling bin, because, of course, the rolling pin is missing).
I bake the cookies ahead and set everything else up while they’re at school.
Some years, I’ve used the Trader Joe’s kit and skipped baking altogether. No notes.
WHY I SET IT UP THIS WAY:
Cookie decorating is exciting, which is fun until it’s not.
Excitement with no structure leads to:
– Grabbing
– Gobbling
– Frosting tears
– Someone screaming about the green sprinkles
So I set it up the way I set up play, and here’s how that clicked for me..
THE PRESCHOOL PARTY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING:
Years ago, I sat at a preschool birthday party at a bakery where the kids were decorating cupcakes. And I was honestly stunned; no one was running wild. Every kid was focused. No one was crying. I started mentally taking notes.
Turns out? The party hosts were doing exactly what I do when I am setting up an art project for young children.
They gave each kid a defined space.
They provided individual materials.
They kept it short.
They used the environment to set the kids up for success.
prepare the space → simplify the choices → step back.
I’ve used that method for years now, and it always works.
THE COOKIE STATION SETUP:
Here’s what you’re going to do:
Want the full setup? The rest is for my paid subs…
Here’s exactly what I use, how I organize it by age, and the checklist I come back to every year
