Deliver a pizza to a friend
Plan and safely deliver a homemade or store-bought pizza to a nearby friend, practicing map reading, communication, and safe handling with adult supervision.
About this activity
Plan and safely deliver a homemade or store-bought pizza to a nearby friend, practicing map reading, communication, and safe handling with adult supervision.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Ask an adult to help and say you want to deliver a pizza so they can supervise.
- 2
Step 2
Decide whether to use a homemade pizza or a store-bought pizza.
- 3
Step 3
Ask the adult to move the hot pizza into a pizza box or insulated bag using oven mitts.
- 4
Step 4
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
- 5
Step 5
Draw a simple paper map that shows your home your friend’s home and the safest route between them.
- 6
Step 6
Call or ask the adult to call your friend to check they are home and happy to receive a pizza.
- 7
Step 7
Choose the safest route and ask the adult to walk with you.
- 8
Step 8
Put napkins and a short friendly note into the pizza box and close it securely with tape or a sticker.
- 9
Step 9
Carry the pizza with two hands keeping the box level.
- 10
Step 10
Walk to your friend’s house following your paper map while staying next to your adult.
- 11
Step 11
Knock or ring the doorbell at your friend’s house.
- 12
Step 12
Step back so your friend can open the door safely.
- 13
Step 13
Give the pizza to your friend and say “Enjoy” while keeping a safe distance as needed.
- 14
Step 14
Share your finished pizza delivery on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you plan and carry out a safe pizza delivery activity with a child?
Start by choosing a homemade or store-bought pizza and pick a nearby friend and delivery time. Work with your child to plan a simple route on paper or a phone map, mark landmarks, and estimate travel time. Pack the pizza in a secure box or insulated bag and check temperature. Rehearse street-crossing, communication scripts, and the handoff. An adult should supervise, handle hot items, accompany or shadow the child, and finish with a short debrief about what went well.
What materials and supplies do I need for a child-delivered pizza activity?
Gather the pizza, a sturdy pizza box or insulated delivery bag, oven mitts or hot pads, and a food thermometer. Bring a printed route map or smartphone with maps, clipboard and pen, a charged phone for calls/texts, hand sanitizer and wipes, reflective clothing or safety vest, and basic first-aid supplies. Consider allergy labels and an insulated carrier if needed. Always plan for adult supervision and any local safety or curfew rules.
What ages is a supervised pizza delivery activity appropriate for?
Ages vary by maturity: 3–5 years enjoy role-play and helping pack while supervised at home. 6–9 years can take short, accompanied walks with an adult nearby, follow simple maps, and practice communication. 10–13 years often handle brief neighborhood deliveries with close adult supervision and check-ins. Teens 14+ may take more responsibility depending on local rules and maturity, but still benefit from an emergency plan and adult oversight.
What are the safety tips and benefits of doing a pizza delivery activity with kids?
Safety tips: always supervise, rehearse the route, keep hot food handled by adults, use an insulated bag, practice safe street crossing, maintain hygiene, and arrange contactless or supervised handoffs. Benefits: builds map-reading, communication, time-management, responsibility, confidence, and social skills. The activity also teaches basic food safety, problem-solving, and teamwork. Debrief afterward to reinforce lessons and praise good decision-making.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use if we don't have a pizza box or insulated bag?
If you don't have a pizza box or insulated bag, use oven mitts to move the hot pizza onto a large baking sheet or sturdy plate and then transfer it into a clean, flat cardboard box or wrap it tightly in foil and secure it with tape before carrying.
What should we do if the pizza box starts to tilt or feels unstable while walking?
If the box tilts while walking, stop and set it on a flat surface or hand it to the adult helper, then reclose and secure it with tape and carry it with two hands keeping the box level.
How can this activity be changed for younger and older kids?
For preschoolers, have the adult handle the hot-pizza step and draw the paper map together while the child gives the napkins and short friendly note at the door, and for older kids let them draw a more detailed map, call the friend themselves, and practice carrying the closed pizza box with two hands under adult supervision.
How can we make the delivery more fun or special?
Decorate the short friendly note and pizza box with stickers, mark fun landmarks on your paper map, include napkins and a personal message inside, then take a photo of the finished delivery and upload it to DIY.org to share.