The Best Interactive Kids Cooking Games

Parents warn their children about the dangers of unsupervised cooking in the kitchen, however, some games offer safe and fun online interactive kids cooking games for the entire family. As an added bonus, the games are educational and informative. Whether learning the basics of how to bake seasonal treats including Halloween cupcakes, pumpkin rolls, or Banoffee pie, kids enjoy the games and parents appreciate their educational value.

Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin Rolls, a fall dessert delicacy, is among one of the favorite kids cooking games. The game is not only educational, but it also sharpens children's coordination and dexterity skills. The game begins with a presentation of a colorful counter top of ingredients. Kids start the game by following each step of adding each item into a bowl.

Following the instructions and arrow, kids learn to follow a sequence of objectives to accomplish their goal. Once the ingredients are added to the bowl, kids must then use the mixer to stir items together. While easier to use than an actual mixer found in the kitchen, kids must use precise movements when using utensils to stir the items in the bowl.

The next objective is to bake the pumpkin rolls, followed by wrapping the roll into the cheese cloth and blending together ingredients for the creamy filling. Finally, kids must roll up their yummy dessert and cut it into individual slices to complete the task, and successfully finish the game.

Halloween Cupcakes

Halloween Cupcakes is another popular kids cooking games. Kids are instructed to follow the recipe and measure the ingredients required to bake cupcakes. The game teaches kids math skills when calculating measurements to add to the ingredients to the batter. Problem solving is another skill kids learn from playing the game as they must figure out how to successfully complete a task before moving on.

The game also encourages creativity. Kids truly appreciate the fact they can apply their creativity skills when decorating the finished cupcakes. With a variety of Halloween-themed candy, kids can decorate cupcakes to suit their personalized taste!

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee pie is also a favorite online interactive kids cooking game. The game is an ideal educational tool for sharpening math skills, problem solving, time allocation, and following directions to successfully complete a task. Kids are presented with numerous kitchen utensils, food items and a stovetop.

In order to advance in the game, kids must read the displayed instructions and proceed to follow step-by-step directions. When preparing the pie, kids must allocate time for a couple of steps before proceeding with the game. Once each of the steps has been successfully completed, the educational game ends with Banoffee pie being served.

The interactive online kids cooking games are a favorite among both parents and children. Parents welcome the values of learning how to follow directions to complete a task, honing coordination skills and focuses on problem-solving abilities. Children appreciate the bright cheerful colors while virtually preparing one of their favorite desserts. The kids cooking games are a great way to spend quality time together as a family!

Do you want to see the latest games for both girls and boys? Click here: Kids Cooking Games.

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Ideas For Halloween Recipes

Halloween is the one time of year when a sweettooth can be satisfied without guilt, for adults and children alike. Halloween candy may often come prepackaged, but it can also come homemade, and indeed, some of the best and most memorable Halloween treats have come from a fresh, original batch of home baking.

The interesting thing about Halloween recipes is that while many are able to bake at this simple level, it does require a reasonable amount of originality and creative flair to make any normal candy into exciting Halloween candy. There are many things to consider, and this article will detail some of the key elements involved in Halloween recipes and what can be done to make Halloween recipes extra thrilling.

The first thing to keep in mind is the coloring - of course, the thing that makes Halloween recipes so recognizable is the coloring - the orange and black invokes strong nostalgic feelings for adults. Of course, this is not an absolute rule, but it can't hurt to have orange and black food coloring to hand for dough and icing recipes.

Cookies are predictable,but tested and true. A good sugar cookie with a fun scary design, such as a spider or a ghost (using the Halloween colors, of course) is a great way to get into the spirit of the season. If cookies aren't exciting enough, boiled hard candy can be a very fun cooking experiment for adults and kids to do together - this may take some practice to get right, but the whole neighborhood will be enamored with these unique little candy gems.

Interestingly, cooking for Halloween does not have to entail sugary, candy-themed Halloween recipes. For adult parties, it would be a good idea to have a contrasting selection of treats that include savory treats. The key, again, is to recall coloring - the simple process of coloring simple, every day foods really brings the Halloween spirit to the party. One good example is Halloween deviled eggs. Once the yolk paste has been prepared in a bowl, covering them with a layer of orange coloring and then sprinkling them with black pepper will achieve the desired effect of grown up Halloween treats.

With so much Halloween candy in the stores, it would be a shame if many people gave up on cooking for the Halloween fun, as there is more room to be fun and creative with this seasonal cooking than most other seasonal cooking events. It is also a fantastic time to spark the imagination of children and get them involved in cooking from a young age.

Halloween is a time where you can go wild with your imagination in the kitchen are there's very few ways in which you can go wrong. If you make a cake and it turns out to be crooked or look weird, you can pretend it was meant to be like that! You can spice things up with weird ingredients that will excite and enthrall your kids and guests.

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Halloween Cooking - Party Theme Tips

Creating a great Halloween-themed party is much easier than people think! Here are a few tips you can implement in your Halloween Cooking and Halloween party throwing in order to liven up the setting and create a great, spooky environment to host in.

An Easy Way to Prepare Frosting For Halloween Cupcakes

Halloween is not complete without Halloween cupcakes, and cupcakes are not cupcakes without proper frosting! Believe it or not, Halloween cupcakes form an integral part of not just the Halloween party but also all the festivals that take place in autumn. You can find everything you need to make the cupcakes from your local store, but if you are very particular about the ingredients or components, then you should prepare them yourself.

In fact, many households avoid purchasing the materials from stores and prefer to make them in their own homes instead! In this article I will tell you how to put frosting on the Halloween cupcakes the easy way!

You don't need to be an expert cook to do this, and it is not too hard either! All you need is a little motivation, a passion for cooking delicious goodies, and the right kind of materials, and you will see how easy it is to create the frosting for your Halloween cupcakes! In fact, you will end up having a better frosting than what you get from your store, thanks to the tips I am going to share with you in this article!

1. Tools of the trade: First of course, you need the right tools, as I said previously. You need a blender, a bowl, a measuring cup, an electric mixer, and a teaspoon.

For ingredients, you need two cups of powdered sugar, eight teaspoons of butter, two egg yolks and half-a-cup of powered cocoa. If you are health conscious, you may want to use margarine instead of butter, but obviously, butter would make the frosting more delicious!

Apart from this, you will also need milk and a teaspoon of vanilla flavor! Once you gather all these items in one place, now it is time to start the actual cooking process!

2. The recipe: Now it is time to put together all the components that would enable you to make a truly spectacular and delicious frosting for your Halloween cupcakes! You should not also forget to make the frosting scary and ghoulish; after all, Halloween is all about scaring others, right?

Put the butter or margarine (whichever you prefer) on the bowl. Use your electric mixer to mix the butter in a way that it becomes somewhat fluffy. Now it is time to put the egg yolks in your bowl; don't forget to pour the milk too in your bowl at this time! Once you are done, put the remaining ingredients in your pan: cocoa and sugar!

Now you are almost finished! All that remains now is to pour the remaining butter in the bowl, and then throw all of the ingredients on to it, along with the vanilla flavor, and mix the whole thing well. You should keep blending the ingredients together until you have gotten the perfect mix you want for your Halloween cupcake frosting!

Didn't I say it is easy?

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Halloween Pumpkin Cookies That Matter

Halloween Pumpkin Cookies never miss to take a starring role in any Halloween get together. This is one of the reasons why always been around for ages, not only for their great taste and nutritional value, but also for their significance to our tradition.

Halloween pumpkin cookies have made the Halloween occasion more successful and satisfying. It has indeed contributed to making the Halloween an event that kids look forward to each year.

Here are two Halloween pumpkin cookie recipes that I would like you to try baking:

Halloween Party Pumpkin Cookies

Healthy Halloween Food, Decorations and Costumes

Having healthy Halloween food, decorations and costumes does not have to be an oxymoron. It is possible to have a fun Halloween and still have a healthy lifestyle.

Here are a few tips:

1. Never send the kids out trick or treating without a healthy meal first. The temptation is greater when stomachs are empty!

2. Instead of candy, try passing out small boxes of raisins, small packages of pretzels, organic fruit snacks, Halloween stickers, pencils, spider rings or other small toys. Many of these small toys go on say right after Halloween. So, be on the lookout and stock-up for next season!

3. Determine BEFORE trick-or-treating how much candy your children may eat. For example, make a rule that each child may have 3 pieces of candy as soon as they arrive home and then put the candy out of sight. Determine how much is allowed the following days as an after school treat or after dinner dessert. (And while you are at it, make a rule that YOU are not sneaking any of your children's candy this year either!)

4. Make your Halloween "green" by using natural products such as pumpkins, gourds, and corn husks for decorating instead of plastic or paper decorations.

5. Avoid face-paint, nail polishes, colored hairsprays and other items that may contain high levels of lead and other toxic ingredients. (See the Environmental Working Group's website for a complete list at http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/halloweentips )

6. Make fun Halloween recipes from healthy foods like carrot finger-food, a melon brain or apple slice teeth! Find all these recipes and more here: http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/best-halloween-recipes-786790/view-all/

Remember, Halloween should be a fun for the whole family and can build memories for a lifetime. So, enjoy the day and remember to take plenty of pictures!

Cindy Hamilton has been writing about health and nutrition since 2007 and is the creator of http://www.family-health-and-nutrition.com, a website dedicated to helping families live healthier lives without breaking the bank!.

In 2009, Family-Health-and-Nutrition.com was named one of the 100 BEST SITE FOR HEALTHY PARENTS by onlinenursingprogram.com and in 2010 was voted the #32 best site for healthy living by Aboutus.com.

Hamilton holds a Bachelor Of Science Degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

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Halloween can wreak havoc with your weight

Halloween can wreak havoc with your weight, blood sugar levels and dental health. Here are my Top10 Tips for healthy eating at Halloween. 

• Instead of candy, buy Halloween toys for treats. Small, inexpensive toys like Halloween pencils, mini balls, stickers, vampire teeth, spider rings and other fun novelties are great fun for kids. Halloween toys can cost as little as 5 or 10 cents each, so you don't need to spend more money than you do on candy. Toys won't tempt you to break your diet; don't contain food allergens like some candies; and extras can be stored for next year. You can even buy Halloween toothbrushes to give out as treats!
• Do not buy candy early in the month. The more time candy is sitting in your cupboard, the more willpower you will need to have. Too many people buy candy early, only to discover most of it has been eaten before the trick or treaters come around.
• Buy brands of candy you do NOT like. Every one has different tastes, and the trick or treat gatherers may love a type of candy you do not like. You face less temptation this way.
• Do not let your kids skip dinner before they go out trick or treating. They will eat more candy and junk to fill up and will be lacking the protein necessary in their diet.
• Limit trick or treating time. The more time trick or treating = the more houses = the more candy = the more total calories and sugar your child (family) will consume.
• After you have checked through the candy to make sure it is safe, let your child pick out 3 or 4 pieces to eat. Throw out any candy that looks questionable. Store the rest of the collected candy in a container and put it on a high shelf. Let your child have 1 or 2 pieces a day until the candy is gone.
• Take some of the candy, like Smarties or M & M's, and store them separately for baking use. Next time your child has a birthday, or needs to make cupcakes for school, you can use these colourful candies for decorations.
• Not all of the candy has to be eaten. Throw some out as the weeks go by and the child is less focused on the treats from Halloween.
• Make sure your child balances candy with proper food. Provide a healthy snack like fruit, yogurt, crackers and cheese, etc. when your child comes home hungry. They will be less likely to binge on candy if they are not starving.
• There are fun and healthy foods that are associated with Halloween. Pull out and roast the seeds from the pumpkins when you are carving them. Take advantage of the apples, squash, tomatoes and vegetables in season. Turn the focus from candy to the wonderful harvest foods that are available this time of year.

Changing focus from candy to activities, crafts and games, will help your child associate Halloween with more than just collecting sweets. Setting a good example and learning nutrition facts can help you ensure that Halloween is not so scary for your family's health.

Mary Roberts is a nutritionist specializing in natural foods. She writes articles and blogs about healthy nutrition for kids and families at http://kidsnutritionist.blogspot.com

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Healthy Alternative to Halloween Candy

Halloween is an exciting time for children. They love dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating and getting a large supply of goodies all in one night. However, beware of cavities! Halloween candy and any sticky, sugary food and drinks can easily promote tooth decay. Halloween treats don't have to be sticky, hard or gooey candy to be fun. Instead fill them up with healthy alternatives such as pretzels, granola bars or sugar free gum. Or pass out non-food treats such as pencils, stickers or small toys.

Don't Let Halloween Spook Away Your Healthy Eating Habits

If your family traditionally passes out candy to neighborhood trick-or-treaters you've probably been stocking up on bags upon bags of candy in preparation of the occasion. Or maybe you've purchased a few bags just because of the fancy decorative displays in the supermarkets near the registers and couldn't avoid the temptation.

Regardless, as Halloween approaches it's extremely important to maintain some restraint especially for those of you focusing on eating healthier and losing weight. The month of October should not turn into a candy-fest with daily munching on chocolate bar after bar just because you have bags of candy in your possession. Sure enjoy a couple of pieces once in awhile, but if you find yourself devouring 10-20 mini candies every day, then restraint must be instilled as soon as possible before you find an additional 5 pounds on your body and wonder where that extra weight came from.

Keep Your Skin Healthy Under That Halloween Mask

Just go to any department store and you'll find the sure tale signs that Halloween is almost here. There are costumes, makeup, and lots and lots of candy ready to be bought and handed out. Just remember that one night of scary costumes can have a bad effect on your skin. This is especially true if you are considering using makeup to turn yourself into that ghoulish zombie on Halloween.

Saving Tips For Halloween Fancy Dress

Shopping for fancy dresses for Halloween is a bit tricky but it is definitely fun. With every dress you find, you imagine yourself wearing it. However if you don't have enough budget, shopping is trickier. But it is not impossible to find great costumes when you have limited budget. In fact if you take the tips below into consideration you might even save more than what you expect.

Halloween Costume Ideas Using Sexy Lingerie

It's that time of the year again when creativity is most required. For children, old pillowcases can turn them into the freakiest-looking scarecrow or a friendly country ghost for Halloween but for adult women, sexy lingerie is pretty much the base material for a great number of costume ideas and not just raunchy costumes that would have "werewolves" howling, but even the seriously Halloween-themed ones.

How To Look Sexy This Halloween

There are so many options open to individuals who are looking for something a little special and even daring this Halloween. Costumes are better than ever nowadays and many are made to fit in all the right places in order to make the most of your body and looks. If you have an invitation to a Halloween party this year then isn't it about time that you began to look at your options?

Why Women Dress Sexy on Halloween

Remember when you were a child, and for Halloween you would dress up in costumes like a cheerleader, a witch, or a cat? Well, as you got older, you were still able to dress up as those characters, just with less fabric and more push-up bras.

Celebrating Halloween in the 21st century for a woman means that it is the one night of the year you can walk through the streets in skimpy lingerie and as long as you have animal ears or a nurse's hat on, you can say it's just a Halloween costume.

Show Off Your Body in a Daring Halloween Costume

Halloween is the perfect holiday to show off your sexy new body. There are so many daring new Halloween costumes available to anyone who looks great. If you've been working out, why not show up at a Halloween party wearing a daring tight-fitting costume? You can choose from so many different types that you'll be able to find the perfect one to make you stand out in a crowd.

Romantic, fantastic, and devilish looks are only a few options available when choosing the perfect outfit to wear to a Halloween party. There are so many options available to really catch people's eyes. You have put in extra hours at the gym lately and you deserve to get some attention for how fabulous you look. No matter what style or look you are going for, all of these Halloween costume ideas are guaranteed to make your body look hot.

Finding Ideas for Sexy Halloween Costumes

When looking for sexy Halloween costume ideas, most simply people think of nightgowns, maid outfits or teddies for women and pirates or vampires for men. There are many other possibilities, of course and with a little imagination and pre-planning, you can come up with something no one else at the party will have.

Here are some areas to think about when planning your costume: