Fresh lemonade is easy to make with kids and only requires three ingredients: lemons, sugar, and water.
If you’re looking for something to do with your kids that includes a sweet reward you can all enjoy, look no further!
We love making stuff in the kitchen together, whether it’s muffins, cookies, or fun snacks.
Fresh lemonade is a perfect summer recipe to do with kids because:
- it doesn’t require any precise measuring,
- uses only a few basic ingredients,
- there’s no stovetop cooking involved, and
- there’s practically no wait time before you get to enjoy the special treat you made!
Tips for Making Fresh Lemonade with Kids
Making fresh lemonade with kids doesn’t have to be intimidating! Here are my top tips for whipping up a batch of lemonade with kids.
1. Set aside double or triple the time you think it would take you to make something.
Kids are sloooowww and may have a million questions or random needs in the middle of the recipe!
So instead of setting aside 15 minutes to squeeze the lemons, tell yourself it’ll be 30, and you’ll probably be spot on.
Give yourself that extra buffer time so you won’t feel stressed or feel the need to rush this moment to get to the next activity.
2. Let them taste everything.
Making food is a great time to use your senses of smell and taste!
Let kids taste the lemon juice, the water, and a little bit of sugar!
Talk about how they taste and feel: sour, sweet, wet, dry.
It’s also really fun to see their little faces pucker up when they try those lemons!
3. Give Kids space to do it Themselves.
Nothing gives kids more pride than letting them do something all by themselves.
There are a ton of tasks that kids can do solo in this recipe.
- washing and drying lemons
- measuring ingredients
- squeezing lemons
- stirring
Resist the urge to do it for them, and instead try asking if they need help before swooping in.
This is where setting aside the extra time helps, too!
When I do need to step in and lend a hand, I try to make sure Elena can still have an important part like having a hand on the pitcher as we lift it together, or squeezing one side of the tongs as I squeeze the other side a little harder.
4. Set the youngest ones up with a snack!
This is a tip I wish I’d had in hindsight!
In our video at the top of the post, you’ll hear my youngest shouting in the background,
“I hungry!”
If you need to give one kid your full attention, make sure you’ve set the other one up to be independent for at least few minutes!
This goes for any and all activities, not just making lemonade.
Our Recipe for Fresh Lemonade
In addition to the ingredients below, you’ll need the following equipment:
- spoon or spatula
- large bowl
- large pitcher
- knife and cutting board
- zester or microplane (optional)
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lemons about 6 whole lemons or enough lemons for 1 cup of lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the lemons in cool water and dry them.
- (Optional) Zest 2 lemons.
- Place a strainer over a bowl and squeeze lemons. Try to get about 1 cup of lemon juice.
- Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of warm water.
- Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar water, and 2 cups of cold water in a pitcher. Add ice if drinking right away. Refrigerate immediately.