Little Chef: Involving Your Preschooler in Making Homemade Pizzas

Making homemade pizza dough is a fun family activity that not only results in a delicious meal but also provides a wonderful opportunity to bond with your preschooler. Children love hands-on activities, and making pizza dough together is a perfect way to introduce your little one to the joys of cooking while teaching them valuable skills along the way.

Your preschooler will love being a little chef!

Here’s how you can make the process interactive, engaging, and educational for your preschooler, plus the easy pizza dough recipe that we’ll be using!

Ingredients (dough):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 packet instant yeast

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)

  
  

Ingredients (toppings):

• 1 jar pizza sauce (or about 1 cup of spaghetti sauce)

• 2 cups shredded cheese

• anything else you want!

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast:

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Stir gently, then add the packet of instant yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble and foam. This means the yeast is activated and ready to work!

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients:

   In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. These seasonings will infuse your dough with flavor, making your pizza base extra tasty.

3. Combine and Knead the Dough:

   Once the yeast mixture is ready, add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir in the olive oil. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Then, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. Let the Dough Rise:

   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

5. Shape the Dough:

   After the dough has risen, punch it down gently to release the air bubbles. Turn it out onto a floured surface and stretch/ roll the dough into your desired pizza shape.

6. Top and Bake:

   Preheat your oven to 425°F. Add your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

   
   
   
   
   
   

   Your preschooler will have so much fun helping make pizza!

   
   

How to Get Your Preschooler Involved: 

1. Let Them Help Measure the Ingredients:

   One of the simplest ways to get your preschooler involved is by letting them measure out the ingredients. They can practice their counting skills and learn about quantities by scooping flour, sugar, and other ingredients into the mixing bowls. This is a great opportunity to work on number recognition!

2. Stirring the Dough:

   Once the dry ingredients are added to the yeast mixture, your preschooler can stir everything together. Stirring the dough is an excellent way for them to practice fine motor skills. Let them mix until the dough starts coming together, and if they want, they can even use their hands to feel the dough starting to form!

3. Kneading the Dough:

   Kneading the dough is a great sensory activity that will get your preschooler’s hands moving. Show them how to fold, push, and turn the dough. Let them try kneading on their own, and encourage them to feel how the dough becomes smoother and more elastic the more it’s worked.

4. Shaping the Pizza:

   Once the dough has risen, let your preschooler shape it into a round, square, or even fun shapes like hearts or stars! Rolling and stretching the dough helps with hand-eye coordination, and your child will love being the creator of their very own pizza base.

5. Topping the Pizza:

   The topping step is where your preschooler can really get creative! Let them add their favorite pizza toppings like cheese, pepperoni, veggies, or even pineapple. This is a great chance for them to try new foods and be involved in the creative process.

6. Watch It Bake:

   Kids love seeing food come to life in the oven! Explain how the dough rises and the cheese melts while the pizza bakes. Keep them a safe distance away as you take the pizza out of the oven. Let it cool off and enjoy!

The original recipe is from: Sugar Spun Run