Independence at mealtimes for young children
Encouraging children of all ages to be independent is something we often think about enabling through play, asking children to build things by themselves or count how many animals they have. It’s often referred to as something children explore in their ideas and feelings.
Mealtimes are often a messy, routine-based time of the day, where the priority is on getting every child fed before the clock chimes for nap time. So, it’s not always the place where we sit and encourage children to take their time and use the same independent enquiry as they might do with roleplay food. And yet, independence at mealtimes has a vast range of benefits, from developing fine motor skills to improving their focus and attention to an individual space. Promoting independence at the food table is also an important way to support social skills into the everyday.
Let’s get a flavour for what it means in practice…
Independence as mealtimes
I can do it!
Self-serve stations provide the perfect opportunity for children to navigate their own food intake and make independent choices about what they eat. Whilst we need to ensure a balanced diet, allowing children to self-select aspects of the meal, such as which vegetable they would like, are a great way to support their sense of self and develop a greater understanding of preferences.
For babies, getting involved in feeding is a very exciting milestone for food times! For babies who are not yet able to use cutlery effectively, use one of your own to ensure they are getting all the goodness whilst allowing them to also use one by themselves. Alternatively, babies should be encouraged to use their hands to explore food themselves, rather than being restricted to spoon-feeding.
Finding my seat…
The social aspect of mealtimes is not to be underestimated. As a relaxed opportunity for everyone to come together during the day, mealtimes offer a chance to sit with new friends too.
Using laminated picture tags on water bottles or personalised placements can be an effective way for children to self-identify and navigate their own special space at mealtimes.
“What would you like?”
Young children make the best helpers! Utilising this keen spirit is a lovely way to endorse the values of helping others whilst also gaining new confidence and independence. Ask children to pour water for their friends, or to help hand out puddings to emphasise the value of respecting others and doing good for your friends.
Cleaning up
A good tidy-up gets everyone moving! Child-sized dustpans and washing cloth stations give children the opportunity for self-care and a practical sense of responsibility too.
