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Brought to you by Little Bellies
There are lots of reasons why children SHOULD play with their food – it can help develop their independence and encourage adventurous eating for starters (you can read more on the advantages of it here).
But we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here for the fun stuff: the games!
Little Bellies teamed up with natural feeding advocate Simone Emery to come up with eight fun games you can play with your toddler using food.
A relay race is a great way to improve hand-eye coordination while also helping little ones to master using cutlery. Grab some spoons and practice balancing snacks while you walk.
“It’s also a game that can be tailored to all ages – younger non-walkers can hold the spoon while seated, and older kids may race from one side of the room to the other while balancing the star in a spoon at the end of an outstretched arm,” Simone says.
A simple yet effective activity. Grab a bowl of water and some fruit, set up a washing station and let the fun begin. Simone says that “because children naturally love exploring new textures, this activity allows their little fingers to touch and explore different foods, which can be a significant first food experience.
“This is a chance to play with food and make food preparation fun, which encourages life-long learning about healthy food habits early on.”
Just make sure your kids are always supervised when water is involved.
Combining food with developing language skills is genius. Using Baby Bellies Nibbler patterns, tip the packet on a plate and go through each shape with your child. Simone says that children’s “language flourishes when they are given tangible descriptions for the world around them.”
“This game is a great way to help give your little one the vocabulary to explain shape recognition, and using tangible words for food such as ‘circle’ and ‘star’ is easier for them to understand than more abstract concepts like ‘yummy’, ‘yucky’ and ‘nice.'”
This is like Jenga (in reverse), but you get to eat the ‘blocks’ afterwards – just tip out a couple of packets of Fiddlesticks and see how high you can build a tower.
“This activity of making Fiddlestick towers encourages toddlers to taste the sticks while also simultaneously nurturing their developing creative skills,” says Simone. “Licking and sticking the Fiddlesticks gets your little one used to new flavours in a fun and non-serious way.”
This Racing Soft Corn game is fun for you and your little one, and older siblings can get involved too. Using a baking tray or a similar surface, teach your children how to blow Soft Corn from one side of the tray to the other. Once they’ve mastered blowing, you can turn it into a race.
“The game aims to encourage deep breaths and helps in the development of oral motor planning skills,” says Simone.
For babies 12 months and up, Little Bellies Organic Animal Biscuits are a perfect way to turn snack time into a learning experience, fuelled by imagination!
“By naming and talking about the animal shapes of the biscuits, you can help your curious toddler embrace eating as a fun and positive experience. As a bonus, an activity such as this one can help with a fussy eater who usually loses interest in eating quickly.”
Lead by example and discover if your little one can imitate your play. Make a mashed vegetable of choice and show your child how to stick the Pick-Up Sticks in it, so they stay upright.
“By encouraging children to mimic what you’ve shown them, you are helping your baby’s little fingers learn the weight sensation of the pick-up stick, which helps prepare your baby for self-feeding tasks,” says Simone.
Children aged 15 months can have a go at making an obstacle course with snacks. Build the course using whatever snacks you like, and grab a Lentil Wheel and move it through the course.
“You can make the course as simple or as intricate as you like,” says Simone. “For younger ones, the course provides a fun opportunity for your little explorer to learn more about food shapes and textures, develop fine motor skills and watch on as you explore the course, demonstrating a pincer grip.”
On your marks, get set, go!
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