Hobbies And Interests
Free Online Games
There are a number of websites dedicated to hosting games for girls, including games available through Facebook, Girls Go Games (girlsgogames.com) and Cooking for Girlz (cookingforgirlz.com). These are point-and-click games with simple instructions. On Facebook, one available game is "Cafe Life," where the player can run her own dessert cafe and create tasty virtual confections. At Girls Go Games, you can choose between the "Berrylicious Bake-off," "Classic Chicken Curry" or one of the many "Sara's Cooking Class" games that show players how to make such foods as lasagna and ice cream cake. Cooking for Girlz focuses on specific foods in its games, such as banana pancake and lemon rice, making it easy to choose one that fits a girl's interests. To ensure the game is appropriate, you should play the game yourself once before letting a child play it.
Console Games
If you already have a video game system in your home, there may be a cooking game available for it. Check your local video game store or online retailer for available titles, and check to see if the girl you are buying it for is within the game's age range. One popular line of games is the "Cooking Mama" series, available on the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS, where you chop, mix and cook ingredients for 50 or more recipes. "Cake Mania" is also available for the PSP, DS and Wii. It features similar game play to "Cooking Mama," but focuses on desserts. For older girls, "America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking on the DS" will aid children and adults in preparing dinner with step-by-step instructions for real-world cooking.
Toy Brand Games
Many commercial toy companies and TV shows have a website dedicated to each of its popular lines. If your girly girl has a favorite doll or toy, visit its website to see if any browser-based cooking games or console games are available featuring that toy line. One show and toy line that offers a game is Dora the Explorer (nickjr.com). "Dora's Cooking in La Cocina" has players use pointing and clicking to prepare 10 different foods. American Girl (americangirl.com/fun) also offers cooking games, such as "Josefina's Fiesta," in which players choose each family member's favorite meal.
Real-Life Games
You and your girly girl can also play games in the kitchen while you cook or bake. She may enjoy playing a taste test game. You can arrange a variety of foods on a plate and have her guess what each is while blindfolded. Another version is to lay out different types of the same fruit or vegetable and have her tell you the differences in taste, such as between Valencia, navel and blood oranges. You can also challenge her to guess how much an ingredient like flour weighs using a kitchen scale. Cover up the numbers and have her place what she thinks 100 grams of flour is on the scale. Reveal the real number and try again with a different ingredient.