Need suggestions: making Christmas Cookies with children

The week before Christmas, we're renting a huge house in Devon for a few days and my husband's children/grandchildren will be joining us. First time we've ever done anything like this. Have picture-perfect visions of how it will turn out. 

There will be 5 grandchildren present: 2 boys, 3 girls, aged 3-7. I'm almost positive none of these kids have ever cooked with their mummy's before, so I was thinking it would be fun to make Christmas Cookies with them.

Am looking for something VERY simple and was thinking about slice-and-bake sugar cookies that we would then decorate with sprinkles, etc., but ...

...do they even sell slice-and-bake type cookie dough over here?

We'll be driving down there the day before so if necessary, I'd be able to prepare cookie dough beforehand (but not 100% sure I even want to get into the homemade thing).

Any suggestions would be welcome! Thank you!

The week before Christmas, we're renting a huge house in Devon for a few days and my husband's children/grandchildren will be joining us. First time we've ever done anything like this. Have picture-perfect visions of how it will turn out. 

There will be 5 grandchildren present: 2 boys, 3 girls, aged 3-7. I'm almost positive none of these kids have ever cooked with their mummy's before, so I was thinking it would be fun to make Christmas Cookies with them.

Am looking for something VERY simple and was thinking about slice-and-bake sugar cookies that we would then decorate with sprinkles, etc., but ...

...do they even sell slice-and-bake type cookie dough over here?

We'll be driving down there the day before so if necessary, I'd be able to prepare cookie dough beforehand (but not 100% sure I even want to get into the homemade thing).

Any suggestions would be welcome! Thank you!

There's not slice and bake, but there is chilled cookie dough, it's made by Saxby's I believe. There's also those mixes you can get to make little cupcakes and stuff which are quite easy, you could get a couple in different flavours for the different kids to try like Ben 10 or Disney princesses. You can also but Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix quite easily.

http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/JusRol-Choc-Chip-Cookie-Dough/40639011?parentContainer=SEARCHcookie%20dough

http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Mr-Men-Medley-Cup-Cake-Kit/27300011?parentContainer=SEARCHcupcake%20mix


There's a cbeebies show called "I can cook" which has really simple recipes, there's a REALLY simple shortbread recipe here which you could decorate or jazz up -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/icancook/makes/katysshortbread/

Do you have a cookie press?  My mom used to make spritz cookies with me (see recipe below), which is just a butter/sugar cookie.  I loved the shapes that came out and then we got different kinds of sprinkles that I could put on them.  I know I've seen sprinkles in Whitards and some of the grocery stores.  Do you think that might work?  I was an only child, so I'm not sure how it would go with many, but it might be an option.  That recipe doesn't mention it, but we'd chill the dough after making it for an hour, which might help vary the kids activities too.  And there are several versions on allrecipes which are probably pretty similar, but they are so, so easy to make.  I've even done them without the cookie press.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spritz-Cookies-II/Detail.aspx

A cookie press is a great idea! A friend of mine just bought one last week at Lakeland, so I know they're around (in case you want one)!

Hi everyone and thank you for the replies!

No, I don't have a cookie press ... just really looking for something super-easy. For them AND me.  That's why I was thinking some kind of slice-and-bake cookie that could be easily decorated before popping into the oven would be fun. The chilled cookie dough sounds good. I'll check that out next time I'm shopping.

Thanks again!