The preschool years are important years to help the children form positive attitudes towards foods and good eating habits. Our Early Year Educators in Crawford Childcare help the children to develop good lifelong eating habits through being positive role models. Research has shown that children’s intake of fruit, vegetables and milk increases by observing adults eat these foods.
Children are active participants in their dining experience at Crawford Childcare, Glanmire. Giving children a choice of food ensures that their likes and dislikes are respected. Encouraging children to serve themselves at meal times helps to make them feel competent and in control leading to the development of a positive self esteem. By participating in meal times and making choices children feel respected and have an enjoyable experience with food in a relaxed atmosphere. At Crawford Childcare children are very much encouraged to self feed from the baby room through to the Montessori Room. Dinner in the Montessori is served buffet style allowing the children to choose the foods they would like to consume along with choosing their portion size.
Preschool is an ideal location to introduce children to the social aspect of sharing meal times along with healthy eating habits. Fussy eaters often discard their pickiness in a group of their peers. In the creche adults sit with the children modelling good behaviours, interacting and encouraging good social skills at all times. Conversations are facilitated and encouraged during meal times. As the children are naturally curious and interested in seeing what the adults are eating, conversations at meals times often revolve around the healthy food being eaten by the adults.
We use age appropriate utensils as these encourage self help skills which empowers children and adds to the enjoyment of food. The children in the Montessori room have access to real knives and forks as part of a very social, buffet style of dining. Children are encouraged to help set up and clear away at meal times encouraging their independence and responsibility.
Meal times are an important part of our programme and offer many learning opportunities through a very natural process. We love them!