Organize a Family Hot Cocoa Contest

Hot cocoa is a fun and simple drink that anyone can make, but extra add-ins turn it into a gourmet treat. Have a contest with your family members in which each person tries to create his own unique twist on classic hot cocoa, and everyone gets a chance to taste test and vote for his favorite version! This fun activity inspires kids to make use of their creativity and imagination.

What You Need:

• Sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Milk
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Hot water
• Mugs and spoons (enough for the taste testers)
• Paper and pencil

What You Do:

1. To prepare for the family hot cocoa competition, have your child create a tournament-style chart to organize the contest. For example, on the first night of the contest, try having two family members create their own hot cocoa recipes, and then the rest of the family will vote on their favorite. If Dad wins, he would compete in two nights with the winner of another preliminary competition.
2. After the chart has been created, allow the first competitors to begin the contest. They should make up their own recipe based on the given ingredients, but to make things interesting, allow each competitor to use a “secret” ingredient. The basic ingredients in hot cocoa are: sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, salt, vanilla extract, and of course, hot water. Contestants can add in, for example, a bit of peppermint, marshmallows, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, or any other readily available ingredient that strikes their fancy.
3. Let your family's hot cocoa contest run as long as the family would like; it can be a week or a month long. Simply space out the competitions as you see fit.
4. Keep eliminating competitors until just one hot cocoa stands above all the rest. The winner gets bragging rights and the pleasure of seeing his winning recipe hung on the refrigerator for all to admire!