Do you mean kids+syrup for helping bake or eating? Either way, you're right it's messy. But for eating, I think that is going to be a difficult challenge because I don't know if you could take away the gooey-ness and still call it a butter tart. lol I cut them in half for Serenity and make sure she is in a waterproof sleeved bib. And she only licks out the filling. lol