National Pizza Month: Pizza and Preschoolers Make a Perfect Combo

Whether your preschooler is a deep-dish lover, a thin crust aficionado, or they like to do-it-yourself (DIY), National Pizza Month in October is the perfect chance to celebrate all things pizza. Denver Preschool Program (DPP) tossed together a few ways for you and your little one to eat your way through National Pizza Month. From make-at-home recipes for kids to pizza-themed art projects, there are many ways to celebrate this delicious time of the year. 

The Dough On National Pizza Month

Started in October 1984 by the publisher of Pizza Today Magazine, Gerry Durnell, National Pizza Month was a marketing strategy to attract customers to his pizzeria. The effort was a success, and National Pizza Month has been an annual celebration across the country ever since. 

According to Carol Helstotsky, a professor of history at the University of Denver and author of Pizza: A Global History, pizza was invented in the late 1700’s in Naples, Italy. Pizza was originally created as an inexpensive and easy-to-eat option that could be prepared in one-room homes within the city’s dense, working-class communities. While pizza continued to grow in popularity in Italy, and later Europe, the real pizza boom happened when Italian immigrants relocated to the U.S. in the early 1900’s. They began opening pizzerias in major cities like New York, Chicago, and Boston. 

Since then, pizza has found a home everywhere from street vendors to Michelin-star restaurants, on breakfast menus to late night snacks, and in every corner of the globe. 

Ideas for Dining In for National Pizza Month 

If you have an oven, chances are high that you and your family can make your own pizza right in your home. Stock up on ingredients and customize as you choose! 

• 31 Pizza Recipes from Pizza Today Magazine offers a library of recipes from the original home of National Pizza Month
• 25 Best Pizza Topping Ideas từ Love and Lemons brings out the creative side to pizza with toppings like butternut squash, kale, and more. 
• Easy mini pizzas từ My Mini Chefs gives adults and kids alike a new spin on pizza with an easy twist on mini pizzas that you can customize as you choose. 

Is take out or delivery more of your appetite for National Pizza Month (or any night of the year)? If so, be sure to take advantage of these savory deals (courtesy of The Freebie Guy’s research) from national chains like Sbarro, Pizza Hut and Papa Murphy’s. 

Denver Pizza Dine-In Ideas

Sometimes you and your little one just need to get out of the house. National Pizza Month is a great excuse to dine in at some of Denver’s top pizza restaurants. Try some of the winners in Eater Denver’s roundup of the Best Pizza in Denver, including local favorites like family-friendly Hops and Pie, award-winning Blue Pan Pizza, and aptly-named Bar Dough. 

Westword also releases an annual Ultimate Guide to the Best Pizza in Denver. It begins with a list of the best new additions to the pizza scene this year. New favorites include DTC Slice in Greenwood Village, High Society Pizza in Highlands Ranch, Leven Supply in Wash Park, and Little Arthur’s in Capitol Hill. 

Pizza-Themed Activities for Preschoolers

Not only can pizza be delicious, but also it can be the perfect ingredient for learning. Here are a few scrumptious ideas to try with you your little learner: 

• Take the hands-on nature of pizza to the next level with these creative art and literacy projects. 
• Put your pizza cards on the table with Memoroni, the Pizza Memory Game. 
• No Time for Flash Cards offers up a fun paper pizza craft to try. 

Once you’ve had your fill of pizza, try these other Fall Family Recipes alongside your little chef. 

Looking for ways to save on preschool costs so you have a few more pennies for pizza (or other necessities)? Check out DPP’s preschool tuition support, which is available to all Denver families with 4-year-olds and many with 3-year-olds.