Family Restaurant - Free Educational Games

by Wanda
(Toledo, OH)

This game incorporates so many skills it is difficult to list. It can be adapted to include fewer or more skills, more or less time and can be adapted for all ages. Some skills that can be utilized are art, math computation, etiquette and manners, writing, reading, organization, measuring, the listgoes on ...

The idea is to have the kids run a family restaurant.

The activity starts by naming the restaurant and creating a sign. The next step involves creating materials- open/close sign, menus, table tents for advertising, guest check books etc. You can get real fancy, designing t-shirts and aprons (using iron -on transfers),just let the kids use their imagination!

Now comes the menu: this can be simple by just using the meal you had already planned to serve, in which case the "guests" can select from menu items, drinks, or even straw or no straw. At the other extreme the children can plan the menu and assist with the shopping and preparation of the meal.

At meal time the "guests" have their order taken and written on the guest check, turned in to the cook, they are served, asked if they want refills, given a bill and provided with change.

In practice - at our house we have a monthly brunch, Grandma and Grandpa are regular guests, various family members also attend.

The brunch allows for a variety of items on the menu and even the 4 year old can butter toast! The kids have aprons with their names on them (compliments of Grandma). The "checks" are paid with play money but somewhere along the line Grandpa started the practice of "tipping" with real money, which the kids share.

Occasionally we open the restaurant when we have meals with a lot of items, like tacos where the guests will choose their toppings. Sometimes for lunch when we are having sandwiches,they can choose peanut butter and/or jelly, cut in two or four, squares or triangles, apple or banana.

You can be very creative with this activity and you can build on it and use it for years!