Parents' Guide to

Kids Baking Championship

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Friendly foodie contest is fun for the whole family.

TV Food Network Reality TV 2015
Kids Baking Championship Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 14 parent reviews

Jenni M.
Jenni M. Parent of 9 and 16-year-old
February 21, 2023
age 6+

Great show. My kid enjoys watching as well.

Love the show. Those saying it is racist, how do you even know those being sent home had good food? You can't taste it through the television. One season had majority of minorities as well. I do think previous challenge winners should be considered when sending someone home. Especially if they are consistently good. And I have noticed they consider this sometimes. Seriously, though it would be unfair to keep someone solely based on the color of their skin and not how well they bake.

This title has:

Educational value
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
swampfoxsouth
swampfoxsouth Parent of 10-year-old
September 2, 2022
age 7+
Absolutely incredible!
1 person found this helpful.
See all 14 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Eight of the country's most talented young bakers match wits in the kitchen in KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP. In each episode, the tweens, who range in age from 10 to 13, put their desserts to the test as they go head to head in a series of challenges designed to test their baking skills as well as their ability to work under the pressure of time constraints. Hosts Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli are on hand to offer feedback before judging the kids' concoctions and eliminating those who fell short each week. The winner receives a prize package including a feature in Food Network Magazine, a new set of bakeware, and $10,000.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (14):
Kids say (8):

These impressive tweens could put many would-be bakers to shame with their mastery of technique and imaginative creations. It's truly inspirational to watch them at work because they love what they do and they're always looking to improve. Many of them already are accomplished entrepreneurs, so it's easy to imagine all will have future success in the field, regardless of the contest's outcome.

As reality contests go, Kids Baking Championship is about as family-friendly as it gets. The young participants want to win, but there's nothing cutthroat about the process, which is a refreshing change of pace if you're watching with kids. They share supplies and even offer occasional help to each other (reminding another baker that his cake timer went off, for instance) in the common work space, giving the contest more of an air of cooperation than of competition. And with Duff and Valerie making sure they give both professional criticism and positive feedback, even eliminated contenders leave feeling good about their work.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what these contestants hope to accomplish by participating in Kids Baking Championship. How might they feel if they don't win? Alternately, how would winning change their lives, given their young age?

  • Kids: When you've created something, is it difficult to accept a criticism of your work? How does doing so make you feel? How does it influence your future efforts? How does it feel to do something well?

  • This show is a great way to inspire an interest in the culinary arts in your kids. You can follow up by picking out a recipe to try in the kitchen together. Talk about what it's like to create something delicious from simple ingredients. Why is it important to know where you food comes from?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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