Hands-On Fall Cooking Classes for Kids at Florence Elementary

At Florence Elementary’s Maker Space on Keller ISD grounds, CookLearnGrow Culinary Academy runs a lively after-school cooking program—Tuesdays from September 15 to December 8, 3:30–4:30 PM—where first- through fourth-graders spend an hour building kitchen skills, confidence, and camaraderie. The class centers on American seasonal recipes in honor of America’s 250th: think crisp apple skillet dishes, savory squash bakes, and simple heritage desserts that teach technique as well as taste. The Maker Space is set up like a small teaching kitchen: low counters sized for kids, a bank of classroom ovens, sinks for quick cleanup, and a communal work table where recipes progress from ingredient prep to plated dishes. Weekly lessons introduce knife safety, measuring, basic baking chemistry, and teamwork exercises. Each session features new recipes and seasonal activities, so students return to familiar routines while tackling fresh challenges. The program runs ten classes total; note there are no classes on October 13, November 3, and November 24. CookLearnGrow packages the session (listed at $375 per session) to include supplies; parents should send kids in closed-toe shoes, with long hair tied back and optional aprons. The program’s accessibility notes and group size are not specified in the listing; for questions about accommodations, email [email protected]. Policy details: duration is one hour; cancellation policy permits no refunds within two weeks of the start date. The class is practical community programming that links school life with culinary literacy. For families in the Keller ISD area, this class becomes a weekly after-school ritual—an opportunity for students to handle real ingredients, learn kitchen hygiene, and share food in a supervised, educational setting. The focus on American-inspired fall flavors gives the curriculum a local-food feel: instructors often highlight common seasonal produce (apples, winter squash, pumpkins) and explain where those ingredients come from, reinforcing food systems knowledge alongside cooking technique. Safety and allergy rules are explicit: the program accommodates nut allergies but cannot accept students with egg, gluten, or other food allergies requiring an EpiPen, except for nut-only cases. That makes it crucial for parents to check medical needs before enrolling. Teachers structure lessons to connect cooking tasks with reading and math skills—measuring fractions, reading recipes, and following sequential steps—so sessions support classroom learning as well as practical competence. Parents report improved independence at home, and kids leave with recipes to try again. Enrollment is limited to the registered list; to reserve a spot, click the date on the calendar via the booking link provided in the program listing.