Preheat the oven to 200° F or 105° C.
Place the egg whites in a metal or glass mixing bowl. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, begin beating the eggs. After several minutes they will start to thicken. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, gradually (over several minutes) pour in the sugar. Continue to beat the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes, so be patient.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place regular mounds of meringue about an inch apart on the paper. You can either use a spoon to form the cookies, or if you or your child feels especially creative, use a pastry bag to form more regular shapes.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to continue drying for several hours.
Your meringues should easily lift off of the parchment paper.
Makes about 2 dozen 2 inch meringues.
Variations:
To create pastel shades, add a couple drops of food coloring (This would be perfect for a baby shower or afternoon tea party).
Chocolate chip - Stir in one 6 ounce bag of mini chocolate chips.
Flavoring - A splash of vanilla, almond or mint flavoring could be interesting.