More than a Meal

In a child care setting, mealtime routines become the key to increasing a toddler’s independence and growing individuation. Young children spend a significant portion of their day while in childcare engaged in self-help skills (a.k.a. Adaptive Skills), most especially mealtime routines. That adds up to approximately 60-120 minutes per day engaged in a vital learning activity. To transform mealtimes from simple nutritional breaks into robust learning opportunities, caregivers must intentionally design the environment and the experience. (Read time: 5 mins.)