Learning to make pizza in Rome with the kids (review)
Looking for a family-friendly pizza class in Rome you can take with your kids? Don’t miss our full review of the Rome4kids pizza class, one of the highlights of our time in Rome.
Pizza is one of the many reasons our children love to go to Italy, so when I discovered you could take a kids’ pizza-making class in Rome I knew it would be the perfect family activity.
I spent a good bit of time comparing the various providers offering pizza classes for kids in Rome and I quickly decided to book with Rome4Kids There were several reasons for my choice:
- Rome tours 4 kids specialized in kids activities and, unlike others, caters also for small children
- The class takes place in a real pizzeria, with a real wood fire. We make pizza at home often so, for me, to have the kids experiencing the real thing was important (the wooden fire is totally safe, more details below). I also loved the idea of finishing the class with a relaxed meal in a real local joint.
- The location is in Rome city center, near Piazza Navona, so it was easy to plan the class as part of sightseeing
- The staff and owner of Rome 4 Kids Tours were very helpful and prompt in answering all my questions and have perfect English, so I knew if the class went well I would be able to recommend it to non-Italian speakers visiting the city
My choice proved correct and we had a fantastic day.
The pizza making class was fun for all of us, it made for a delicious lunch and stayed as one of the highlights of our trip to Rome.
You can check details of this class and book securely here
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Pizza making class in Rome: our experience with Rome4kids tours
We booked our pizza making class for a late morning in December.
The lesson takes place in a real Rome pizzeria near Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s main squares, and we thought going during daylight would mean we could combine the activity with a nice walk.
We were really lucky with the weather that day and we quickly realized we had made the right call: we got to the pizzeria by bus (there are many serving that area) and we got there early enough to take a stroll.
In this area, Rome is full of the cobbled streets that make it famous around the world and we were able to stop for coffee and cornetto in one of its loveliest corners: piazza del fico.
Going for coffee with two kids is never the relaxing experience we were uses to pre-kids but, in this case, we stumbled into a bit of a find: on piazza del fico there is a cafe called bar del fico (‘fico’ means fig tree) and inside it is has a Fussball table and a wooden driving range game.
The people who designed the place went for a Seventies, vintage style and the games are part of this retro, artsy approach, rather than a family-friendly vibe, but a ball is a ball and our kids were suitably entertained!
We perched ourselves at one of the tables and were able to enjoy a strong Italian coffee while their laughter in the background: it was a good start of the day.
When the time to join the class came, we walked back to the pizzeria and were welcomed by chef Maurizio.
He was very friendly to us and the kids and quickly gave us a table, treated us to drinks and introduced us to the other family we were sharing the class with.
They were from Japan and had two kids of similar age than ours – it was lovely to see such an international group.
Getting ready to make pizza
Food really makes people bond.
Kids and adults received aprons and we quickly gathered around the pizza-making bench.
We were shown the ingredients and each kid was given a task: depending on age, they poured, mixed, added pinches of salt and choose their very own pizza toppings.
Mixing and assembling our pizza
Chef Maurizio showed them how to decorate their pizza to make a face and this meant they all added courgettes and olives to their creation – yes, the pizza-making class turned into a vegetable eating success, what more could we ask for?
We made one pizza each and the chef gave us nice tips on how to make the perfect one.
Without revealing too much, I can tell you that the big trick is to only have a thin layer of ingredients on top: this way, the pizza cooks evenly, while if you have a heavy lump of toppings, it ends up being burnt on the sides and soggy in the center.
After mixing and prepping, the pizzas were ready to go in the oven.
Cooking time
Real Italian pizza is made in wood fire ovens and we had one burning behind us the whole time.
The oven is safe for kids (there is no way they can reach the flame or get too close to the hot parts of it) and they were allowed to get the pizza in with the long ‘spade’ specific for this purpose.
They absolutely loved being able to do this and let me tell you: it is not an easy task!
We also tried to get the pizza on the spade and it took us quite a few attempts (and quite a few creases on our pizza) before we succeeded!
They absolutely loved being able to do this and let me tell you: it is not an easy task!
We also tried to get the pizza on the spade and it took us quite a few attempts (and quite a few creases on our pizza) before we succeeded.
In a hot wooden fire, pizza cooks in a few minutes so after our efforts, we could sit down at the table and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
The pizza was really nice and since we had one each, we were even able to bring some back home to have as a snack later on.
The class was a success and we need to thank Rome4 kids tours and the lovely people on Il braciere, who made our kids feel welcome, empowered and truly entertained. I highly recommend this activity to all families!
If you want to get your kids ready for this activity, make sure you get some of the cool books set in Italy for children: some are about pizza too!
You can book this activity easily and safely here
I hope you enjoyed this review of this pizza class for kids and it gave you a good idea on how to spend an afternoon in Rome with family. Happy travel planning!
