Albino Monkey Sushi Making Kit
$23.994.3★ · 297 ratings on Amazon
20 pieces: bazooka roller, bamboo mat, rice paddle, sashimi knife, 5 pairs of chopsticks and a free 15-lesson video course.
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Home / Sushi Recipes / Sushi for Kids
Sushi for Kids: Easy Rolls Kids Love to Make
Updated November 9, 2026 by the team at Albino-monkey.com
The best sushi for kids uses cooked or raw-free fillings like cucumber, avocado, imitation crab, cooked shrimp, egg and cream cheese, in small rolls they can help make themselves. Kids from about 4 can spread rice and add fillings, kids from 8 can roll with a mat or bazooka with help, and an adult does all the cutting. Below is an easy crab and cucumber roll that makes 4 rolls, enough for a family of four.
Ingredients
- 4 cups seasoned sushi rice, cooled to room temperature
- 4 half sheets of nori (cut full sheets in half)
- 6 imitation crab sticks, split lengthwise
- 1/2 cucumber, cut into thin strips
- 1 small avocado, sliced
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into thin strips (optional)
- Low-sodium soy sauce, for dipping
Directions
- Set up a station for each child: a small bowl of water, a half sheet of nori and a scoop of rice.
- Lay the nori on a bamboo mat, shiny side down. Let the child wet their fingers and press a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving a strip bare at the top.
- Let them choose two or three fillings and lay them in a line across the lower part of the rice.
- Help them lift the edge of the mat, tuck it over the filling and roll it away from them, squeezing gently through the mat.
- An adult slices each roll into 6 to 8 pieces with a sharp knife. Serve with low-sodium soy sauce for dipping.
Kid-friendly fillings (no raw fish)
| Filling | Kids like it because |
|---|---|
| Cucumber | Crunchy and mild |
| Avocado | Soft and creamy |
| Imitation crab | Sweet, already cooked |
| Cooked shrimp | Familiar, no raw fish |
| Tamago (sweet omelet) | Tastes like breakfast |
| Cream cheese | Mild and creamy |
| Carrot matchsticks | Bright color, crunch |
| Canned tuna with mayo | A sandwich they already know |
Who does what, by age
| Age | Good jobs |
|---|---|
| 3 to 5 | Washing cucumbers, choosing fillings, pressing rice onto nori with wet hands |
| 6 to 8 | Laying fillings in a line, rolling with the mat with help, using a bazooka with help |
| 9 to 12 | Rolling on their own, making inside-out rolls, using the bazooka alone |
| Adults only | Cooking the rice, cutting fish, all knife work |
Safety: food safety agencies advise young children to avoid raw fish, so keep kids' sushi to cooked fillings and vegetables. The sashimi knife in any sushi kit is a real chef's knife: adults only.
Sushi in a lunch box
- Make the rolls in the morning; sushi rice hardens overnight in the fridge.
- Use cooked fillings only and pack with an ice pack.
- Cut the rolls a little smaller (6 pieces instead of 8) so they fit little mouths.
- Pack soy sauce in a small leak-proof container, or skip it: seasoned rice has flavor of its own.
Make it a sushi night
Put every filling in its own small bowl, give each child a half sheet of nori, and let them build their own rolls. Hand rolls are even easier for small hands: see our hand roll recipe. For the full method from rice to slicing, read the beginner's sushi guide.
Tools that make it easier
Kids roll more evenly with a bamboo mat, and a sushi bazooka is the easiest tool of all: they fill the tube, close it and push out a perfect roll. Keep the knife with the adults.
We make the Albino Monkey Sushi Making Kit (20 pieces, $23.99 on Amazon, 4.3 stars from 297 ratings): a bamboo mat, a dishwasher-safe mat, a rice paddle and spreader, the bazooka roller, a sashimi knife and 5 pairs of chopsticks, plus a free 15-lesson video course. See what is in the kit or start with our step-by-step sushi guide.
Common questions
- What age can kids eat sushi?
- Kids can eat sushi made with cooked fillings and vegetables as soon as they handle rice and chewy nori. Food safety agencies advise young children to avoid raw fish.
- What is the best sushi for kids?
- Mild rolls with cooked or raw-free fillings: cucumber, avocado, imitation crab, cooked shrimp, sweet egg or cream cheese.
- Is imitation crab safe for kids?
- Yes. Imitation crab is fully cooked fish paste. It does contain fish and often wheat and egg, so check the label for allergies.
- Can kids use a sushi kit?
- Yes, with supervision. Kids from about 8 can use the mat and bazooka; the sashimi knife is for adults only.
- Can I put sushi in a kid's lunch box?
- Yes, with cooked fillings, made the same morning and packed with an ice pack.
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