We are thrilled to inspire our friends from Preschool 2 at RisingOaks Early Learnin | John Sweeney to learn about a diverse range of foods and cultivate a positive attitude toward them by engaging all their senses to explore various textures, flavors, and aromas. Eating is a multi-sensory experience, and children intake information through sight, smell, touch, taste, and even sound during mealtimes. It's essential to acknowledge that children absorb information best through play and exploration. Though we often utilize play-based learning to teach children subjects like numbers, colours, and letters, when it comes to food, we typically communicate more serious messages such as "Don't play with your food."
We decide to explore and learn about different foods in a fun and free way. Children can learn through looking, touching, smelling, and squishing, and over time, they may become more comfortable with the foods, ultimately making their own choices about trying and enjoying them.
We set up three activities, starting with children building simple shapes for the base - squares and triangles with marshmallows and toothpicks. They progressed from making flat two-dimensional shapes to combining them to form 3D structures. They were fascinated by how the shapes transformed into something entirely new when connected together. We enjoyed the opportunity to design and create geometric art while snacking on a few marshmallows during the building stage. Molly, Sebastian, and Thomas collaborated at the table, motivating and supporting each other as they worked on creating geometrical objects.
Following that, we ventured into a delectable sensory experience with pudding and Jello. The children were absolutely thrilled as they engaged their senses to explore these delightful treats. Their descriptions of the experience included words like jelly, cold, sweet, strawberry, and soft—truly an amazing and enjoyable experience!
We wrapped up the day with an artistic body painting session featuring whipped cream and food colouring. It was truly incredible to see the children enthusiastically painting their nails and faces. Their complete immersion in the activity, along with their boundless energy and creativity, made it an absolute joy to be a part of! Natalie, Molly, and Evelyn created a stunning whole-body painting, showcasing their enjoyment of the activity. Carina, Thomas, and Rowan confidently chose to explore painting their nails to experience the flavor when licking their fingers.
These activities not only provided a platform for sensory exploration but also contributed to developing a positive and open-minded approach towards food among the children.
