Creating Healthy Eaters Through Play

Have you ever thought about subliminal messages? Well, ponder this. Creating healthy eaters could be as simple as play.

On Nick Jr's Peter Rabbit, he is always eating fresh foods straight from the garden or forest. Stage you child's play with healthy foods like Peter Rabbit.

Maybe set up a mini farmer's market in your child's dress up area or in their dollhouse. Promoting healthy eating as easy as...not pie :)

Researchers have studied this for years, but moms know that children learn through play. Setting the stage with healthy food will send the message that apples and broccoli are examples of eating healthy.

I am a big fan of toys at the table. "Oh, Peter Rabbit is goubg to try some blackberries. How about you try some, too. " you might say.

Provide healthy snacks and encourage them to try new things.

Play with garden or farm toys and talk about where food comes from. I am always surprised when kids think food comes from the delivery man!

It's okay to play with your food!

Maybe provide healthy foods in the dollhouse can influence healthy food choices at dinner time.

It's all about positive attitudes towards being healthy and eating right, being a good example, and opportunities to play and act out scenarios of healthy food.

Have a fun and playful day.
Mel

Craft Day Tuesday - Play with Your Food!

I am fortunate that all the kids that I know love their veggies!  My girls growing up loved mixed veggies - both cooked and raw.  A certain 4 year would choose broccoli or carrots over chips! Let's make food fun.

We made these simple veggie puppets with just a few items - veggie cutouts found at the dollar section, googly eyes (googly eyes make everything more fun!), popsicle sticks, tape, and a marker.

Tape the popsicle stick on the back, glue on the goggly eyes, make a happy face and...ta-da! You have veggie puppets.

So cute, right?

Baby Chameleon from Safari Ltd decided to get in on the healthy eating fun!  The fruits and veggies are from Safari Ltd Toobs.

Safari Ltd's motto is "toys that teach" - it's so true!  There's so many things you can do with this fruit and veggies toob - sorting, counting, pretend play with little animals, garden pretend play, talk about foods from around the world...sooo many ideas racing in my brain right now.

Or you could totally make a fun lunch landscape for your little ones to devour like this one.

(Above photo Parents Magazine)

Have a fun & playful day!

Mel