Tropical Sunrise
alcohol-free, with a red base
Fill a highball glass three-quarters full with ice cubes.
Pour the orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice over it, and stir briefly with a long spoon.
Top up with cold sparkling water to about a finger’s width below the rim.
Slowly pour the grenadine syrup down the inside of the glass. Because syrup is heavier than juice, it sinks to the bottom, creating a gradient from red to orange. Do not stir again.
Garnish with a slice of orange and a cocktail cherry, and add a straw so the children can stir the colors together themselves.
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What children enjoy
A kids' cocktail is not an adult mocktail in a smaller glass, because children have different tastes. They like sweet and fruity flavors and quickly lose interest when something is bitter or very sour. So choose a base of mild juice such as orange, pineapple, or apple, add a small splash of lime or lemon juice so it does not taste sticky, and finish with bubbles for a celebratory feel. Use syrup sparingly: the juice is already sweet, and 1 to 1.5 cl per glass is enough for color and flavor. Most of the fun comes from doing it themselves. Let children pour in the grenadine, dip the rim in sugar, or make their own fruit skewer. Classics such as the Shirley Temple and the Virgin Piña Colada work for the same reason. None of the recipes on this page contain alcohol.
The right glass
For children, choose a glass that can take a knock: not too tall, with a thick base and made of tempered glass. Tempered glass, such as the Duralex Picardie, is much stronger than ordinary glass and, if it does break, shatters into small, blunt pieces instead of sharp shards. A long drink glass of 30 to 36 cl is large enough for ice and a straw. Leave stemmed glasses and thin crystal in the cupboard. View our long drink glasses.
Onis Icon Long Drink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Duralex Picardie Long Drink Glass 36 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 56,90.
The right tools
For these kids' cocktails, in addition to the glass, use a long bar spoon, a jigger with six measurements, a citrus juicer, long ice sticks, and cocktail picks. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 128,70.
Five alcohol-free recipes for children
Good to know
Kids' cocktails for a children's party
For a children's party, mix the juice in advance: for ten glasses of Tropical Sunrise, use 80 cl orange juice, 60 cl pineapple juice, and 10 cl lime juice, divided between two pitchers. Chill them and keep the sparkling water and grenadine separate until serving so the bubbles and color gradient stay beautiful. Allow for two to three glasses per child in an afternoon, and give small children a 20 to 25 cl glass, which is easier for them to hold. For a second flavor, set out a pitcher of Virgin Sex on the Beach, with cranberry and peach instead of pineapple. Also set out a pitcher of water; after two sweet glasses, most children want something to quench their thirst.
A cocktail bar where children mix their own drinks
Children enjoy making the drinks more than drinking them. Set out three small pitchers of juice, a bottle of sparkling water, grenadine in a squeeze bottle, and bowls of fruit on a low table. Give them a card with pictures: first ice, then two types of juice, then bubbles, and finally a streak of red. A measuring cup or jigger helps with the syrup; otherwise the bottle will be empty after three children. Have an adult hand out the ice and keep the glasses on the table so no one runs around with a full glass. An old towel under the table makes cleanup easier.
Decorating: sugar rims, fruit, and straws
Create a sugar rim by dipping the edge of the glass in a little juice and then in a saucer of sugar. Mix a drop of grenadine into the sugar to turn the rim pink. Children can thread their own fruit skewers with strawberry, grape, and pineapple; use blunt skewers for young children or skip the skewer and place the fruit on the rim. Cut grapes lengthwise in half for small children. A straw makes any drink more festive, and reusable straws can simply go in the dishwasher after the party.
Less sugar in a mocktail for children
Juice and syrup add up quickly, so pay attention to the proportions. Replace half the juice with sparkling water and halve the grenadine: the color gradient remains, and there is about half as much sugar in the glass. Fresh fruit gives more flavor than syrup. Purée a few strawberries or a piece of mango and use that as the base instead of grenadine; it will sink less beautifully, but it will taste richer. A splash of lemon or lime juice makes a less sweet drink refreshing. A Virgin Mojito is naturally less sweet: lime, mint and sparkling water, with only a little sugar.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mocktail for children?
A mocktail for children is a non-alcoholic drink that you make and serve like a cocktail: with juice, bubbles, a little syrup, ice and a garnish. The difference from an ordinary glass of lemonade lies in the composition, the color and the glass. Children especially enjoy making it themselves.
Which mocktail for children is the easiest?
The Shirley Temple: ginger ale with a splash of grenadine over ice, with a cherry in it. You need two bottles for it, and it is ready in half a minute. The Tropical Sunrise above is just as simple and has a beautiful transition from red to orange.
Which glass is safe for children?
A low or medium-height tempered-glass tumbler with a thick base, such as a 30 to 36 cl highball glass. Tempered glass is much stronger than regular glass and breaks into blunt pieces. Leave stemmed glasses and thin crystal in the cupboard and give small children a 20 to 25 cl glass.
How do you make a layered mocktail for children?
Start with the heaviest and finish with the lightest. Syrup contains the most sugar and sinks to the bottom, juice stays in the middle, and sparkling water sits on top. Pour each layer slowly over the rounded side of a spoon so they do not mix. Grenadine poured along the side of the glass last will sink on its own.
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