When I have "down time"....when I am waiting for the other villagers to perfects skills, etc.....this is what I do. Make the stew and just keep taking hte kids to the cauldron.

A couple hints....if they start to run towards the ocean....you may as well just grab them and bring them back. They stop at the waters edge and dont do anything since children cant swim. Another one, to make it easier to catch them all, drop a parent on one of the kids so the kids all run up for lessons. Then pause while you drop them all by the cauldron. This way you dont have to chase them all over the screen and they are right there by the fire. Once you have them all there by the cauldron, unpause and they will all run to "exercise". Dont disturb them, just let them finish. Also, when you drop them, even on pause, you will know if you hit the right spot cause it will say "eating". I posted a pic in my last post showing where you have to drop them. Its the same spot for the nursing mothers.