Let The Kids Decorate. Cookies, Not The Walls.

You’re baking up a storm and the kids are bugging you to lick the batter. So put them to work (and get them out of your hair). Let them decorate your holiday cookies. Just make sure to follow these seven tips so you don’t wind up with an even bigger mess.

1. Instead of baking from scratch, save time with Pillsbury* Sugar Cookies, Pillsbury* Gingerbread Cookies or Betty Crocker* Sugar Cookie Mix.
2. Choose simple cookies that are easy to decorate, such as Frosted Reindeer Cookies, Spiral Snowmen Cookies or Birdhouse Cookies.
3. Bake all of your cookies ahead of time so they’re cooled and ready for when your kids are.
4. Seat the kids at a table covered with a plastic tablecloth. Paper towels can clean up smaller messes as they happen, so keep them handy. You might also want to use drop cloths on the floor.
5. Divide frosting into smaller bowls and add different food colouring to each. You can also place different coloured frostings into (strong) zip lock baggies and cut a small hole in the corner to create piping bags. Save time by using Betty Crocker* Creamy Deluxe or Whipped Frosting.
6. Provide other bowls with small candies and chocolate chips, as well as jars of coloured sugar and sprinkles.
7. Spatulas are great for spreading frosting and toothpicks are great for drawing. Provide some bowls of water to drop sticky utensils in.