Easy Cheddar Nachos Assembly Line Activity

By Julie Pirkle

Three things preschoolers love: chips, cheese and cooking! Whipping up a plate of scrumptious nachos is as easy as one, two, three with this preschooler friendly recipe, and a little help from your friends. Preschoolers will love making their own nachos with just some tortilla chips and cheddar cheese slices. But the fun really starts when preschoolers form a competitive assembly line to add some tasty toppings to this homemade snack. 

Allowing preschoolers the opportunity to cook in the kitchen instills responsibility, not to mention teaches a necessary life skill for adulthood. The easy cheddar nachos assembly line activity is also a great tool to promote teamwork amongst preschoolers.

What You Will Need

Tortilla Chips

Cheddar Cheese Slices

Nacho Toppings in Individual Bowls (Olives, Green Onions, Diced Tomatoes, Refried Beans, Sour Cream, etc.)

Microwave-Safe Dish

Microwave

Paper Plates

Long Table or Work Surface

Kitchen Tiimer

Note: The easy cheddar nachos assembly line activity is designed for groups of eight or more preschoolers.

Easy Cheddar Nachos Assembly Line Activity Preparation

Set up your table/workstation by lining up the bowls of nacho toppings in the center assembly line style. You will also want to make sure that there is room for preschoolers to line up on BOTH sides of the table/workstation to create an assembly line.

What to Do:

Step 1:

As a group, help preschoolers arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on a microwave-safe baking dish.

Note: Depending on the number of preschoolers participating, you may need to make more than one batch.

Step 2:

Have preschoolers take turns laying a cheddar cheese slice on each tortilla chip.

Step 3:

Put your easy cheddar nachos in the microwave. Microwave on high for approximately one minute or until cheese is melted.

Step 4:

Now that the nacho cheese has been melted, separate the nachos onto two plates and move to your workstation. 

Step 5:

Divide preschoolers up into two even teams.

Step 6:

Instruct each team to line up on one side of the table/workstation.

Step 7:

Tell each team of preschool chefs that it's their job to top the nachos in assembly line fashion. For example: the first preschooler will garnish the nachos with the item in the first bowl, and then pass it to the next preschooler who will garnish the nachos with the item in the second bowl and so on.

Step 8:

There is a catch, however. Preschoolers will have no more than one minute to pass the plate of nachos down the assembly line and garnish it faster and better than the competing team.

Step 9:

The plate of nachos that makes it intact down the assembly line the fastest wins its team a prize.

Tip: Preschool Activities reccomends a fiesta-inspired prize such as maracas or sombreros.

Step 10:

Once the easy cheddar nachos assembly line activity is over, invite preschooles to sample their tasty concoctions.

Easy Cheddar Nachos Assembly Line Tips

*Short on time or too many hands in the cookie jar? Eliminate the cheese melting portion of the activity and move straight to the assembly line competition.

*If you have more preschoolers participating than toppings or room at your workstation, run the activity in mulitple waves so everybody has a turn to compete.

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