Café Day ideas for OSHC
32 DIY activities for a café day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Summer or February (Heart Week). Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Baking Cookies
Children measure, mix and decorate their own cookies, practising maths and kitchen skills along the way.
Cooking Day · Café Day · Birthday for Everyone Day +1Biscuit Decorating
Children ice and decorate plain biscuits with sprinkles, creating colourful edible art.
Beach Day · Milk Day · Café Day +3Blended Fruit Milkshakes
Children help blend milk and fruit into fresh milkshakes, learning about healthy ingredients and simple kitchen skills.
Before School Calm Start · Wellbeing Wednesday · R U OK Day +2Breakfast Check-In Table
A shared breakfast table where children eat together and chat about the day ahead, starting the morning calmly and connected.
Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge · Café Day +1Build a Burger Bar
Children assemble their own burgers from a toppings bar, choosing fillings and practising independence.
Café Day · Cooking Day · Market Day +1Café Menu Design
Children design illustrated café menus with dish names, descriptions and prices, combining creative writing with art.
Junior Chef Challenge · Cooking Day · Café Day +2Chef Hat Design
Children make tall paper chef hats with a decorated band showing the name of their very own restaurant.
Café Day · Cooking Day · Market Day +3Children's Café
Children plan, prepare and serve simple snacks in their own pop-up café, taking turns as chefs, wait staff and customers.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Café Day +2Cinema Snack Bar
Children make tickets and token money, then run the ticket desk, usher seating and serve popcorn for a movie session.
Cooking Day · Japan Day · Clay and Pottery Day +1Clay Sushi
Children model pretend sushi rolls and pieces from clay, practising shaping and colour.
Birthday for Everyone Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +2Cupcake Decorating Station
Children decorate plain cupcakes with icing and toppings for a shared celebration, practising fine motor skills.
Cooking Day · Birthday for Everyone Day · Café Day +1Donut Decorating
Children decorate plain donuts with icing and sprinkles for a fun party treat.
Feel Good Friday · Fruit and Veggie Day · Healthy Heart Day +1Fresh Fruit Juice Bar
Children choose fruit combinations and help make fresh juices or blended drinks to share.
Junior Chef Challenge · Fruit and Veggie Day · Cooking Day +2Fruit Kebab Plating
Children thread fruit onto blunt skewers and plate them creatively for a judging panel of educators.
Cooking Day · Fruit and Veggie Day · Healthy Heart Day +2Fruit Smoothie Making
Children choose fruit and help blend smoothies, learning about healthy drinks.
Fruit and Veggie Day · Healthy Heart Day · Café Day +1Fruit Smoothies
Children choose fruit and help blend creamy smoothies to taste and compare.
Healthy Heart Day · Fruit and Veggie Day · Cooking Day +2Healthy Snack Plate
Children build a snack plate with something from each food group and talk about balanced eating.
Pyjama Day · Winter Wonderland · Chocolate Day +2Hot Chocolate Station
Children measure cocoa and milk to make warm hot chocolate and add marshmallow toppings. A cosy treat for pyjama day.
Art Attack Day · Café Day · Cooking Day +3Juice Mocktail Bar
Children mix fruit juices, sparkling water and chopped fruit into colourful mocktails, practising measuring and creating their own recipes.
Everything's Duckie · Market Day · Money Day +2Lemonade Stand
Children squeeze lemons, mix lemonade and run a pretend stand with signs and play money.
Life Skills Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +2Make Your Own Lunch
Children plan and prepare their own sandwich and snack, building independence in the kitchen.
Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge · Café Day +1Make Your Own Pizza
Each child tops a pizza base with their choice of sauce, cheese and toppings before it is baked.
Art Attack Day · Big Kids Club · Café Day +2Paint and Juice Session
Older children enjoy a relaxed canvas painting session with juice or mocktails, combining creativity with a social, café-style atmosphere.
Cooking Day · Pancake Day · Junior Chef Challenge +1Pancake Flipping
Children cook pancakes and practise flipping them with an educator's supervision.
Pancake Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +1Pancake Toppings Bar
Children help mix batter, watch pancakes cook and choose from a toppings bar. A Shrove Tuesday treat that builds cooking skills.
Junior Chef Challenge · Cooking Day · Café Day +1Pizza Scroll Making
Children spread sauce and cheese over dough, roll it up and slice it into scrolls ready for the oven.
Dramatic Play Day · Café Day · Market Day +1Pretend Shop or Café
Children set up and run a pretend supermarket or café with menus, empty packets and play money.
Cooking Day · All About Australia Day · Junior Chef Challenge +1Savoury Scrolls
Children roll puff pastry with a yeast spread or pizza sauce and cheese, then slice and bake.
Ice Cream Day · Summer Holidays · Café Day +2Sundae Bar
Children build their own sundaes from a selection of ice cream, fruit and toppings.
Taco Fiesta Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +2Taco Bar
Children help chop soft toppings and set up a taco bar, then build their own taco for a shared lunch.
Café Day · Dramatic Play Day · Careers Day +1Waiter Role-Play
Children take turns as wait staff and customers, taking orders on notepads and carrying trays, practising manners and communication.
Gross and Messy Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +2Weird Food Combo Tasting
Children try unusual but safe food pairings, such as apple with cheese or popcorn with cinnamon, and rate each one.