Stew Leonard's Newington, Conn., store will hold themed cooking classes for children between the ages of 5 and 12 on a monthly basis in 2010. At each class, kids will get hands-on instruction in working with various ingredients to create a meal celebrating a specific holiday or event, while also learning about the importance of measuring, developing cooperation skills in the kitchen and how to prepare food safely.

The classes will be held at the store's Executive Kitchen on Friday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., except for the April Tea Party, which will take place on a Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The classes scheduled for the first six months of the program are:

Jan. 29: Warm Comfort Foods: hot chocolate from scratch, chicken potpie and magic cookie bars. Kids get to take home their own hot cocoa mix.

Feb.12: Valentine parfaits, sweet-heart sugar cookies and Stew's exclusive "Love Potion." Kids will make a take-home container for their handcrafted treats.

March 12: Leprechaun parfaits, green macaroni and cheese, and shamrock shakes. Kids who come wearing green get a special gift.

April 17: Tea Time! Finger sandwiches, hand-brewed tea and teacakes enjoyed on real tea sets.

May 7: Mother's Day Brunch: banana split pancakes, fresh squeezed juices and a special card for mom.

June 4: Father's Day Breakfast: homemade muffins, omelets and fresh orange juice.

The cost to enroll is $25 per child, payable at the time of registration. Budding chefs don't need to be accompanied by an adult, although parents may observe the classes, according to Stew Leonard's. The Newington store, which opened in 2007, has also played host to summer culinary camps for children.