Cooking classes for kids
Fall/Winter 2025 - 2026 Classes
To sign up for a class, click on the links below to register through Darien Parks and Rec. Each session of classes will focus on seasonal ingredients, holidays, current trends, and the class’s particular interests. All classes are hands-on.
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We are happy to be offering new classes this season, as well as the old favorites. Most classes and events will be held at the Weed Beach Paddle Hut in Darien, unless otherwise indicated. All supplies and ingredients are provided. Ages 5-12 work together, unless otherwise indicated.
Classes Offered on School Holidays
The Sprout Chefs will spend their day off from school making an international lunch. The older chefs will help the younger chefs as they prep, chop, and cook together. Once the food is ready, they will set one big table and eat around it.
​​Times: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach.
Only bring a water bottle. Lunch is included.
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Tuesday, September 23 – A Day in Japan -Sushi
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Thursday, October 2 - A Day in Mexico - Street Tacos
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Saturday, November 8 - A Day in Italy - Handmade Pasta
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Monday, January 19 - A Day in France - Sweet & Savory Crepes
Ages: 5 - 12
Fee: $95 Darien Res, non-res $115
Preschooler’s Story Time and Food-Art
These classes meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, from September to March.
Preschoolers and their adult/s listen to a story and make a culinary treat together.
Dates: Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan.13, Feb.10, & March 10
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach.
Tuesday, September 9 - Funny Face Plates
This is a playful food class for adults to explore and taste a variety of fruits and vegetables with their children, while making a funny face plate together.
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October 14, Halloween Cake Decorating
A friendly Halloween witch will tell stories, followed by decorating small Halloween cakes to be taken home.
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Hear a story about how to make a pie and then create a mini-pie using a selection of different pie crusts, fillings and garnishes. Every pie is different.
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Hear a holiday story, and create cookies for the winter holidays.
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Hear snowman stories and decorate a winter cake.
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February 10 - Edible Valentines
Hear Valentine stories and decorate Valentine’s Day cookies to give away or eat yourself.
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March 10 - Leprechaun Cupcakes
Wiley the leprechaun will tell everyone how he turned a cake mix into gold. Everyone will get to use their magic to see what they can do with nine golden cupcakes.
Ages: 2 - 5 with significant adult(s)
Fee: $38 Darien Res, non-res $46
COOKING SERIES FOR THE FALL
These series vary from two to five weeks and meet Mondays 4:00-5:00 in the Paddle Hut at Weed Beach. Each series is based on the month’s holiday, and the ingredients are always fresh and seasonal.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Making Magic with Fall’s Ingredients
This class is all about combining ingredients, such as pumpkins and apples with cinnamon and cloves. Some days the recipes will be savory and other days they will be sweet. All of the days will remind us of what time of year it is. The Sprout Chefs may eat their food after making it or bring it home.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Mondays, October 13, 20, and 27th
Darien residents: $108, Nonresidents: $132
November’s Lollapalooza Pie Making Extravaganza
Each week the Sprout Chefs will make a different mini pie, using fresh seasonal ingredients. They will also learn to make a pie crust. The last class will conclude with a large Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, ready for the dinner table. Some weeks the pies will be completed in class, and other weeks the pies will be baked at home.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays, November 3, 10, 17, & 24
Darien residents: $144, Nonresidents: $177
The Art of Pies, Cookies and Cakes
For the first week of this series, the Sprout Chefs will make a mini pie from scratch, with a rolled crust. The second week will be all about making and decorating cookies. The grand finale is to decorate a cake to reflect the holiday spirit.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays, December 1, 8, & 15
Darien residents: $108, Nonresidents: $132
COOKING SERIES FOR THE WINTER Ages: 5-12
Warm Foods for Cold Nights – Savory and Sweet
Ages:5-12
Each week will involve making foods that get us through the darkest days of winter, starting with minestrone soup, hot apple crunch and concluding the series by decorating a cake to look like a snow scene.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays, January 5, 12, and 26th (no class on January 19)
Darien residents: $144, Nonresidents: $177
Stone Soup
For the first class, the Sprout Chefs will hear a version of a stone soup story and make a stone soup recipe to go with it. For the second week, they will create their own stone soup recipe and tell an oral story to go with it. Imaginations and creativity are highly encouraged.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays, February 2, and 9
Darien residents: $72, Nonresidents: $90
Fairytales, Fantasy, and Sweet Recipes
This is a series to encourage and create fun and to inspire whimsical food. The first class will start with a traditional fairytale, paired with the creation of a culinary treat. At the end of class, the Sprout Chefs will plan for the next week. Together they will pick the next story and recipe. Boys and girls are encouraged to work together (or separately) to make magic by pairing fiction with food. They can even create their own fictional stories, if they want.
Ages 5-12 work together.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30th
Darien residents: $180, Nonresidents: $225
One Day Only - Fall Events
Witches From The Woods Making Cakes
All ages are welcome!
Come hear a friendly witch tell the real story of Halloween. Storytelling will be followed by decorating a 5 1/2” Halloween cake to be taken home. Also taste the first Halloween treat made from the witch’s very old recipe.
Location: Weed Beach Picnic Area, past the Paddle Hut.
In case of bad weather, the Witch will move the event to the Paddle Hut.
Time: 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 26
Darien residents: $38, Nonresidents: $46
Family Thanksgiving Pie Making Class
All ages are welcome!
Grandparents are especially welcome at this event, but every family member is invited to make a pie for Thanksgiving. All the ingredients, equipment and recipes will be there to make a pumpkin, pecan or sweet potato pie, to be baked at home.
Sign up for each 8” pie.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday, November 25
Darien residents: $38, Nonresidents: $46
Weeklong Camp
Noodles to Pasta Camp
Ages: 5-12
On the first day of camp, the young chefs will make pasta from scratch, using a traditional Italian recipe. From there they will learn the origins of pasta. The belief is that the Chinese created the noodle and Marco Polo took the idea back to Italy. For the rest of the week they will plan and create their own pasta, noodle or dumpling lunches according to their tastes, abilities and desires.
Location: The Paddle Hut at Weed Beach
Times: 10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Only bring a water bottle. Lunch is included.
Monday - Friday, February 16-21
Darien residents: $480, Nonresidents: $576
The Spring/Summer schedule will be posted in March.
For more information about birthday parties, at-home cooking classes or questions about classes feel free to contact me.
