Use this handy kit to keep your little ones busy while you finish wrapping the gifts, writing your Christmas cards, or tidying up before company arrives.

What you’ll need for your kit:

• Ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough (some even come pre-cut, hurray!)
• Pre-made royal icing (you can usually find this at a grocery or bulk store)
• An assortment of sprinkles for decorating
• Holiday cookie cutters (if necessary)
• A piping tube for each kid (inexpensive ones are available at dollar stores)
• Wax paper (for protecting your tabletop and easy clean up)
• 2 holiday tins/boxes (one large enough to hold your kit supplies and another for storing the cookies)
• old adult-sized t-shirts

Instructions:
Ahead of time: Buy all supplies listed above and store in your tin or box. (Note: Read cookie dough package for storage instructions.)

1. Bake cookies and let cool.

2. Make icing. Add food colour, though it’s not a necessity if you are using sprinkles.

3. Cover table with wax paper. Set out sprinkles in easy access bowls. Put some icing in the piping tools.

4. Outfit each child in an old adult-sized t-shirt or shirt to protect their clothes.

5. Bring out the cookies. Show big kids how to use the pipers ““ little guys can be in charge of sprinkles. Once you’ve set out the rules (“Absolutely no wondering into the living room with icing hands!”), they can get creative.

6. Sneak away (not too far) for your 20 minutes of kid-free time (be sure to check in and compliment the kids on cookies well decorated).

7. Clean up: wash kids hands (and probably faces, they only think they’re sneaky), put cookies into tin, rinse pipers and sprinkle bowls, wrap up wax paper, discard and you’re done.