Help I have to teach 17 kids today about fondant not only do I have to bring enough fondant for all the kids I am slammed with my cake business this week and havent given it a thought. I have thin plastic cutting boards for them to roll it out but then what I dont have enough cutter for all????????

I have never done it with this many kids usually 8. but what about having them work in teams. that way 2 kids can share one cutter? do you have a set design they will be making or is it a general lesson and let their creativity go wild? What ages are the kids, older kids can wait for cutters longer than the younger ones. I love doing this with the kids, they are suprisingly good

I have taught several kids at once before. I bring all my cutters (except my expensive ones) flowers, circles, hearts, shapes, and have them out at my table where they can get one to use and then put it back. I give them a few ideas of how to overlay and inlay with the different shapes to create nice decorations.

Be sure and teach them how to make Duff roses - - simple and they'll love actually being able to make something.

Maybe some simiple animal shapes...rolling fondant balls for heads, bodies, etc.
I've done this with kids and each child got to pick an animal they wanted to finish their cake with...bunnies, teddy bears, ducks...all are pretty easy.

How about you demonstrate a few simple ideas, including those already mentioned, and work in a round-robin system? Each group works on one technique for a set period and then each team moves on to the next technique. Perhaps the last activity could be free choice where individuals can choose to return to a favourite or unfinished activity or just let their creative juices flow?
My grandchildren love having free rein with an assortment of things such as cupcakes, biscuits (aka cookies), fondant in assorted colours, cutters, cake decorating tools, moulds (premade or make their own with assistance), royal icing in bags or dishes, assorted flowers, sprinkles, etc....
Another thought, if you have any spare cakes in the freezer, is that each team could decorate a cake and have a cake party, either with you or back at school.

Cher2309b~~this was from March, but I like your ideas.

Hey, jstan~~How did it go? What did you teach them?

Woops - my mistake. Sorry. I'm sure the children had a ball.
Cheryl

Hi all, sorry I havent updated the class is over Thank God! Well they put me and it turned into 19 kids in the art room. The first week I brought in cake mixes with eggs and iol and water and had them break into 2's well that was a mistake I showed them how to separate and egg and thats when the yolks did too. Yolks on the table yolks on the floor yolks on the children. Well week 2 I brought in cupcakes(premade) and showed them how to make angry birds with colored sanding sugar, jelly beans and orange slices they LOVED that and it wasnt that messy. Week 3 I brought in about 5-8oz of fondant for all to play and make 1 special thing to put on their finished cake at week 5. I bagged them and brought them home. Week 4 was BAD I brought in pre filled plastice pastry bags and printed out wiltons practice sheets. Well they squeezed the bags too much and frosting was everywhere Then they decided to use the glop on their placemat as soap and rub it all over their hands greasy mess. I didnt know they clogged the art teacher sink with frosting until the next week when she had a talk with me. Week 5 I had made 6 inch cakes for all and showed how to frost and only a few pastry bags just for small writing and boarders. I gave them their special fondant they made week 3 and we boxed them up and they were proud so I guess it wasnt that bad after all.
Thanks again for all the input I know I can alway depend on you guys for cake help

Sounds wonderful! Maybe not the way you envisioned it but it sounds like the children had a ball!!! I can't imagine doing cake decorating with so many children. Perhaps, if there's a next time, you could request a few parents or older children as helpers.

jstan~~You made my afternoon with your story. I'm VERY proud of you.

I am so impressed with your patience and willingness to tackle this! They say you always have more patience with other people's children, but I never found that to be true. I always wondered why these people let their kids act the way they did.

Give yourself a HUGE pat on the back - - you did great!