Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Summer Mocktail
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- FormatPrintable PDF
Summer Mocktail is a free printable activity sheet built around a thirst quenching drink that is great for all the family. A mocktail is a drink that looks and feels special but has no alcohol in it. Children read the sheet, get involved in the making and share the result with others.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
What is on the sheet
The sheet gives children a summer drink to plan, make and share. Children read it through first, then gather what they need and help with the safe jobs. Good jobs for children include washing hands, measuring, stirring, pouring carefully and tidying up. A grown up does anything that involves a knife or a hot item. The drink is something the whole family can enjoy together.
Getting ready to make it
Wash hands and clear a space
Everyone washes their hands with soap and water before touching food or drink. Wipe down the work surface and put out clean cups, a jug and a spoon.
Read the sheet together first
Read page 1 from start to finish before you touch anything. Then gather everything you need and set it out in the order you will use it.
Share out the jobs
Children can wash fruit, measure liquids, stir and pour. An adult cuts fruit and handles anything sharp or hot. Agree who does what before you begin.
Taste, serve and tidy
Pour into cups and share. Talk about how it tastes. Then wash up together, wipe the surface and put everything away.
Why make a mocktail?
The word mocktail joins mock and cocktail. It means a drink made to look and feel like a cocktail, but without alcohol. That makes it a drink children can enjoy at a summer party, a picnic or a family meal. Making one gives children a real reason to read, measure and follow a sequence, and they get to taste the result.
In warm weather, the body needs plenty of fluid, and water is the best everyday choice. Fruit juices and squash contain sugar, so they are best enjoyed as a treat. A mocktail can be a fun way to talk about drinks. Children can think about what is in a drink, what makes it taste good and how a treat differs from an everyday drink.
Adults do all cutting with knives and any job that involves heat. Children should not handle knives or hot items, even with an adult nearby. Check for allergies and food intolerances before anyone drinks. Whole nuts, small pieces of fruit and ice can be a choking risk for very young children, so adults should decide what is suitable.
Drink facts for curious children
- A mocktail is a drink with no alcohol in it.
- Lemons and limes are citrus fruits. They taste sour.
- Ice melts as it warms up, so a cold drink gets weaker the longer it sits.
- Mint is a herb. Gently squeezing a leaf makes its smell stronger.
- Water is the best drink for everyday thirst.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading instructions
- Following a sequence
- Measuring liquids
- Food hygiene
- Working with others
- Describing tastes
Ideas for the grown up
- Read before you makeAsk your child to read page 1 aloud, or read it to them. Then ask what you will do first, next and last. This builds the habit of planning before starting.
- Let them measureUse a jug or cup with clear markings. Ask your child to read the scale at eye level. Pouring carefully into a small container is good practice for steady hands.
- Use taste wordsGive children words to describe the drink, such as sweet, sour, fruity, fresh or cold. Ask which word fits best and why.
- Keep jobs safeDecide at the start which jobs are for adults only. Say it clearly. Children feel proud when they have a real job to do that is safe for them.
Key words
- MocktailA drink made to look and feel like a cocktail but with no alcohol.
- IngredientOne of the things that goes into a recipe or a drink.
- MeasureFind out how much of something you have, using a jug, spoon or scale.
- RecipeA set of instructions for making food or drink.
- GarnishA small extra on top or on the side of a drink to make it look nice.
- DiluteMake a drink weaker by adding water or ice that melts.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes, help and a stretch idea.
- Wash hands and clear a clean space. Read page 1 together before you start.
- Gather what you need and set it out in order. Decide which jobs are for adults only, such as cutting or anything hot.
- Let your child do the safe jobs, such as measuring, stirring and pouring. Take your time and enjoy it.
- Share the drink, talk about how it tastes, then wash up together. Come back to the sheet another day and try it again.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Read page 1 aloud together and point to each part as you go. Gather everything first so nothing is missed. Give your child one clear job at a time, such as stirring or pouring, and say well done when they finish it.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to change the drink and write their own version. They could choose a new name, a new combination and a short set of instructions for someone else to follow. Make it together, taste it and say what they would change next time.
Make it a game
Play taste detectives. One person closes their eyes while another gives them a small taste of a safe, allergy checked fruit or juice. They guess what it is and describe it with taste words. Swap roles and take turns.
Talk about it
- What do you think makes a drink refreshing on a hot day?
- Which job would you like to do, and which job is only for a grown up?
- Why do we wash our hands before we make food or drink?
- Which words would you use to describe the taste?
- If you could change the drink, what would you change?
- Who would you like to share this drink with, and why?
Take it off the page
Design a menu
Draw a menu for a pretend summer party. Give each drink a name and a picture. Children can take orders from family members and write them down.
Fruit colour hunt
Look at fruit at home or in the shop. Sort it by colour and name each one. Talk about which fruits are sweet and which are sour.
Set the table
Lay a table for a summer picnic, indoors or in the garden. Count out cups and napkins for everyone and match each person with a place.
Who it is for
Parents
Make this a shared job. Read the sheet first, set out what you need and let your child do the safe jobs. You do anything with knives or heat. Enjoy the drink together at the end.
Teachers
Use it as a summer term activity, a food and nutrition starter or a reading for purpose task. Check allergy information first and keep all cutting and heat to adults. It also works well as a class discussion about drinks and healthy choices.
Home educators
A good fit for a food and cooking lesson, or a break from the usual routine. Combine it with reading the instructions, measuring and writing a short review of the drink. Children can write down what they would change next time.
Where this fits in
Before this, children benefit from simple kitchen experience: washing hands, helping to set a table and pouring drinks from a jug. They also need practice listening to and following instructions in order.
After this, children can read and follow other simple recipes, with an adult doing the cutting and heat. They can move on to measuring with more care, writing their own instructions and planning a simple meal for the family.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is the Summer Mocktail sheet free?
Yes. It is a free printable from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London. Print both pages at home or in school. Black and white printing works well, and you can reuse the sheet as often as you like.
- What age is it for?
It suits children who can enjoy a family kitchen activity with a grown up. Younger children need more help, and older children can do more of the reading and measuring. You know your child best, so adapt it to fit.
- Can children make it on their own?
No. An adult should always be there, and an adult should do any cutting with knives and anything involving heat. Children can do the safe jobs, such as measuring, stirring and pouring, with a grown up supervising the whole activity.
- Does the mocktail contain alcohol?
No. A mocktail is a drink without alcohol. Always check the ingredients you use before serving, and check for allergies or intolerances among anyone who will be drinking it.
- What is on page 2?
Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it for yourself and give page 1 to your child.
- How long will it take?
That depends on how much your child does and how much preparation you need. Allow time for washing hands, reading the sheet, making the drink and tidying up, and do not rush. It is fine to come back and finish on another day.
- What if my child has an allergy?
Check every ingredient before you start and swap anything unsuitable for something safe. If you are unsure, ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice. Never serve a drink to anyone if you are not sure it is safe for them.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.