I've been asked to teach a Kids Club at a local elementary school next month. The club meets once a week for four or five weeks. I know I'll be letting them practice on cupcakes, but need to think of things to teach them that don't require a bunch of expensive materials. I don't mind contributing my time or the cupcakes and icing, but tips and cutters is a whole different story. Any ideas?

We ran a similar program this summer at our church and one day I let the kids decoarte cupcakes with various icing colors and tips. One day I made two big batches of MMF and they colored it and made animals, flowers and figures out of it. They then took their creations home on a paper plate. On the last day I baked each child a 8x8 cake in a foil pan with a plastic lid. We then decorated the top of each cake to look like a beach scene. We crushed graham crackers for sand, blue icing for the water, teddy grahams for the beachgoers and swimmers, gummy lifesavers for float rings, fondant for fish and beach balls, etc. The kids put the plastic covers on the top when finished for easy transport home. They had a ball!

I have a home daycare and we do all kinds of treats.
Cookies - I re use fruit cups/applesauce cups and choose a color of royal and give them individual bowls and a paint brush and let them 'paint' their cookie. the decorate with sprinkles or colors depending on the season/ holiday.
Cupcakes I have done the same with buttercream in indivdual bowls or in icing bags but it depends on the age (little ones would put the bags in their mouths.)

We have even made gingerbread houses and trucks for Christmas decorated with candies . I do have a picture in my photes of them.

Cookiemama2......I'm glad that I am not the only person here crazy enough to put in a full day with a daycare and then do cakes on the side!

With our older kids, I've just let them use the buttercream that I have on hand and set out a couple of my tip boxes and let them go to town on their "creations (cupcakes)". They share them with the little ones who can't decorate but sure can eat! Two of my older ones were so fascinated with it, they actually asked me for a student kit.

As far as expense goes, I order disposable bags by the roll for a decent price and the most used tips can be found in a plastic 4 tip set. If you don't have time to order something for quantity discounts, maybe find help purchasing at Hobby Lobby or Michaels or something like that? Maybe ask the parents to provide the items before the class? Another cheap thing is using freezer paper to make icing bags instead of parchment. I saw a tutorial somewhere.......

We did the same thing as bunnypatchbaker this summer as well at our church. It was taught two days a week for 2-mos. I was fortunate to buy plastic cake tips at the Wilton Tent Sale this summer. I used a pvc cutter to take the rings off the tips so that we could easily put them in the disposable plastic piping bags. Also, I had a pack of parchment triangles that I had for sometime. I taught them first how to make parchment cake decorating cones. Our first session, was team building and measuring, found on the web a recipe for making homemade ice cream, which taught measuring skills and sharing. The kids made decorated cookie caterpillars, decorated cupcakes, practiced piping on plastic cutting boards from the dollar stores, and Styrofoam tortilla warmers (faux cake dummies). They got to make MMF decorations. I made a 10" cake for the whole summer camp, didn't do individuals. It was a learning experience for me to say the least.

Thanks everyone! It would go over Halloween so I was thinking today that I could let them do some decorating for that.

I have been going to an elementary for about 7 years on career day and I have a great time with the kids. Two years we made a turkey using a cupcake and Mike and Ikes fruit candy for the feathers along with candy corn for the smaller feathers. I made the head using a cookie cutter and chocolate. Another year we made a tv dinner. I used candy corn and cut the sections apart to use for some of the vegetables. Last year we made hamburgers, hotdogs and french fries all out of cake. I am in the process of deciding what to do this year.

I do birthday parties for kids. I have the equipment because I sell cupcakes. I make the cupcakes ahead of time, of course, I get the disposeable decorating bags. And I make a big batch of frosting. I make different colors of frosting. I also do a demonstration on how you can fill the cupcake, and then decorate. I have a few different candy decorations in lidded bowls, and let the kids have at it. Depending on the age, I decorate a cupcake in front of them, and then see who can decorate closest to mine, and they win a prize. Also depending on the age, I will take some fondant with me, and few small cookie cutters and let them decorate that way too. They each can make and take 4 cupcakes home. They really enjoy it too. Everyone I have done this for has a great time.