Little Chefs is a hands-on group therapy programme where children work together to prepare a delicious recipe from scratch. From kneading pizza dough to topping waffles with fresh fruit and whipped cream, every session is a genuine cooking experience — and a powerful opportunity to build real-world communication and social skills along the way.
Age Group
5 – 12 years
Group Size
2 – 6 participants
When
School holidays & on demand
Price
From $90 per person per session
Who is Little Chefs for?
Little Chefs is designed for primary school-aged children (5–12) who experience challenges with social communication. It is particularly well suited to children with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- ADHD
- Social communication difficulties
No cooking experience is needed — just a willingness to roll up your sleeves and give it a go. Children do not need a formal diagnosis to participate.
How Does Little Chefs Work?
Each session, the group works together to prepare a fun, delicious recipe from scratch. Every child takes an active role in the cooking process — measuring, mixing, assembling, and creating — which naturally requires constant communication, cooperation, and teamwork.
Past recipes have included favourites like:
- 🍕 Pizza from scratch — making and kneading the dough, choosing toppings, and assembling together
- 🧇 Waffles topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream
At the end of every session, each child takes home their creation to share with their family, along with a recipe pack so they can make it again at home. Recreating the recipe with family is encouraged — it’s a great way to generalise the communication and independence skills practised in the session.
What Will My Child Gain?
Little Chefs targets real social communication goals within a fun, meaningful context. Children who participate typically develop:
- Turn-taking and sharing in a group setting
- Following multi-step instructions
- Asking for help and offering assistance to others
- Negotiating and making group decisions
- Independence and confidence in everyday tasks
- A sense of pride and achievement
More Than Just a Session
Every child leaves Little Chefs with their freshly made food and a recipe pack to take home. We encourage children to cook the recipe again with their family — reinforcing the skills they practised in the group and giving them a chance to share something they made themselves. It’s therapy that keeps giving long after the session ends.
When Does Little Chefs Run?
Little Chefs runs during school holiday periods and can also be scheduled on demand when there is sufficient interest. Group sizes are kept small (2–6 participants) to ensure every child is actively involved and gets individualised support throughout the session.
To be notified when the next Little Chefs session is scheduled, or to express interest in running a group, use the form below.
Pricing
Little Chefs sessions are priced from $90 per person per session, which includes all ingredients and your child’s recipe pack to take home. Pricing may vary depending on session length and the recipe selected. NDIS funding may be applicable — please contact us to discuss your child’s plan.
Express Your Interest
Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch as soon as a Little Chefs session is forming. There’s no obligation — we’ll simply let you know when a suitable group is available.