There is no shortage of sweet shops in NYC like retro spot Economy Candy, Midtown megastore Dylan's Candy and small neighborhood shops such as Krause's Candy Kitchen in Queens (to name just a few). There are even chocolate shops where you can see the sweets being made. But there's never been a candy shop as interactive and fun as Chocolate Works on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Chocolate Works, which opened earlier this year, sells delicious handmade chocolate, truffles and chocolate-covered treats, as well as bulk candy and specialty treats. But what really makes Chocolate Works stand out is all of the chocolate fun kids can dip into.

Visiting a candy shop is always a treat for kids, but Chocolate works adds to the fun by offering hour-long workshops in which kids can learn how to make their own confections. In the chocolate mold workshop, kids select a mold from a wall of different shapes from giant lips to dinosaurs. With their favorite mold in hand, they fill it with chocolate and decorate it with white chocolate "paint." While the chocolate mold is hardening, kids use a Willy Wonka-ish contraption to cover a cookie, pretzel or graham cracker in a thick coat of chocolate, sprinkle it with their choice of toppings and munch it on the spot.

The chocolate workshops cost $36 per kid and your child will go home with a huge chocolate creation and a big smile. Although these workshops usually take place daily, the schedule often changes due to private bookings, so it's best to call ahead to find out when the next one is available.

If you're crunched for time, you can opt for simply dipping a marshmallow or a piece of fruit into the tempting chocolate fountain by the door.

If all that sounds like your child's dream come true, they'd probably enjoy Chocolate Works' birthday party packages, where up to 30 kids can indulge in the chocolaty fun described above and more in the private party room. Sounds pretty sweet.

Chocolate Works is located at 641 Amsterdam Avenue at 91st Street, 212-799-3630.