Make a Cuppa
Make a safe warm drink with adult supervision: measure ingredients, steep tea or mix hot chocolate, stir, taste responsibly, and serve a cuppa.
About this activity
Make a safe warm drink with adult supervision: measure ingredients, steep tea or mix hot chocolate, stir, taste responsibly, and serve a cuppa.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
- 2
Step 2
Put your mug spoon measuring spoon and your tea bag or hot chocolate powder on a clean counter.
- 3
Step 3
Decide whether you want to make tea or hot chocolate.
- 4
Step 4
Put the tea bag into the mug or scoop two measuring spoons of hot chocolate powder into the mug.
- 5
Step 5
Ask an adult to fill the kettle or saucepan and boil the water for you.
- 6
Step 6
Have the adult carefully pour the boiling water into your mug until it is about three quarters full.
- 7
Step 7
If you made tea let the tea steep in the hot water for 3 to 5 minutes.
- 8
Step 8
If you made hot chocolate stir the mug with the spoon for about 30 seconds until the powder is dissolved.
- 9
Step 9
Ask an adult to check the temperature of your drink to make sure it is safe to taste.
- 10
Step 10
If the adult says it is cool enough add a splash of milk or a little sugar if you want.
- 11
Step 11
Stir the drink one time with the spoon to mix any milk or sugar.
- 12
Step 12
Take a very small sip to taste the drink and make sure it is not too hot.
- 13
Step 13
Serve your cuppa on a tray to yourself or someone else carefully.
- 14
Step 14
Share a photo or description of your finished cuppa on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you make a safe warm drink (a cuppa) with a child?
With adult supervision, start by boiling water or heating milk yourself and placing it out of reach. Let the child measure tea bags, cocoa powder, or sugar into a mug, then pour the hot liquid while you hold the mug or use a pouring jug. Show them how to steep or mix, stir gently, and let the drink cool until safe to taste. Serve on a tray and remind them to sip carefully.
What materials do I need to make a cuppa with my child?
You’ll need a kettle or saucepan (used by an adult), mugs, a heatproof jug or tray, teaspoon and measuring spoons, tea bags or loose tea with an infuser, hot chocolate or cocoa powder, milk, sugar or honey, a timer, oven mitts, and a small thermometer if desired. Keep a cloth for spills and ensure an adult supervises every step involving heat.
What ages is making a cuppa suitable for?
This activity can be adapted: toddlers (2–3) can help with dry measuring and stirring cold mixes; preschoolers (4–6) can measure, stir, and learn pouring practice with cool liquids under supervision; school-age kids (7+) can take on more steps but an adult should always handle boiling water. Always match tasks to the child’s coordination and understanding of safety around hot liquids.
What are the benefits and safety tips for making a cuppa with kids?
Making a cuppa teaches measuring, following steps, fine motor skills, and conversational bonding. Safety tips: adult handles boiling water, use a jug to pour, let drinks cool before tasting, use non-slip mats and oven mitts, keep handles turned away, and teach children to recognize hot items. Start with small, supervised tasks and praise careful behaviour to build confidence.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have a measuring spoon or a tea bag?
Use two level regular teaspoons in place of the two measuring spoons for step 4, and replace a tea bag with a tea infuser and one teaspoon of loose tea or with two tablespoons of cocoa powder if you lack hot chocolate powder.
My hot chocolate keeps clumping or my tea tastes weak — how can I fix that?
If hot chocolate clumps during step 8, warm a little milk or water and whisk a teaspoon of powder into a paste before adding the rest and stirring for 30 seconds, and if tea tastes weak let it steep longer within the 3–5 minute range in step 6 or use a second tea bag.
How should I change the steps for younger or older kids?
For younger children have them focus on handwashing (step 1), choosing the mug and stirring while an adult handles boiling and pouring (steps 5–7), and for older kids let them measure (step 4), time the steep (step 6) and only ask an adult to check temperature (step 9).
How can we make the activity more creative or challenging?
Personalize the cuppa by decorating the tray and mug before serving (step 13), create a recipe card with steep times and milk/sugar choices to photograph for DIY.org (step 14), or compare different tea blends and steeping times to judge flavor.