Scientists agree that children are our future, which is why most children are sealed in time capsules with a flashlight and a stack of magazines. Give a child something he or she will really dig with today's Groupon: for $15, you get a 90-minute cooking and language class for children age 3 and up (a $35 value) at La Piazza di Carolina in the Crestwood area of Yonkers.

Classes at La Piazza di Carolina marinate students in the language and culture of Italy, preparing families for vacations abroad and instilling a foundation of bilingualism in young children. The cooking workshop invites pint-sized sous chefs to gather around the table of a kitchen classroom to learn basic Italian cooking terminology while crafting classic Italian dishes and conjugating verbs to a golden brown. Tiny aprons and toques transform apprentices into confident spaghetti slingers as they knead pizza dough, blend ricotta fillings, and craft tiramisu, all while learning Italian translations for ingredients and techniques. Parting gifts include the day’s recipes and Italian vocab flashcards made out of pizza.

Many studies have linked foreign-language education in children to improved performance in reading, math, and social studies, as well as the ability to gossip freely in public. The hands-on approach of La Piazza di Carolina’s cooking workshop helps connect new vocabulary with tactile and visual associations, and a cap of six students per class ensures personalized instruction for all. Classes currently take place on the second Saturday of each month.