1. Figure out how many people will be attending the holiday party and make or buy plain cupcakes or cookies so each person has one or two. Make sure you allow for extras in case of those unfortunate accidents.



2. Pick up a couple of different kinds of frosting, a mixture of sprinkles, mini M & Ms, mini chocolate chips, toffee pieces and some nuts. Pick out the ones you want for the cupcakes or cookies you will be decorating.

3. Make sure you have containers for knives, paper towels, toppings, waxed paper and a paper plate for each child participating.

4. Use a cupcake or holiday cookie menu for every child. Make sure there is place for each child's name. Every child should mark the appropriate box for the kind of sprinkles and frosting they would like. Collect the menus after the children have filled them out.

5. Decide who the holiday foreperson is going to be. Being in charge of the holiday decorating crews, job assignments and quality control is the job description. Being able to work well with other children is very important for the holiday foreperson.

6. Put children in group of four to five. Explain to them they will either be filling the cupcake menu or holiday cookie requests after you introduce them to their holiday foreperson. Make an example of one completed cookie or cupcake to show them.

7. Four or five Menus should be completed by the first group. Give each child a specific job, a kind of frosting or sprinkles or topping to put on. Make sure each child understands their job and how important it is to listen to the foreperson and work as a team.

8. Making sure the assigned menus are completed and each child does their job is what the foreperson is responsible for. The foreperson needs to make sure they are being kind and encouraging but firm at the same time. Show them how to be a positive role-model.

9. The group that is waiting to decorate their cookies or cupcakes should participate in an activity such as a crossword puzzle or a game. Make sure everyone is having a good time and staying busy.

10. Take every child's menu and pass around the cupcakes or cookies when all of the holiday treats have been frosted and sprinkled. It is great to see if each child actually gets the treat they ordered. Tell the children what a good job they did.

The holiday cookie or cupcake assembly line can work with almost any holiday party and it is a great learning experience for children.