Play with your Food

As you were growing up, did your parents have to tell you over and over again to not play with your food? Do you find yourself repeating this mantra to your own children? Let me play the two-year-old here: but why? As Baby Bear and I delve into learning about the five senses, I can't help but think that playing with your food is an effective way to explore all five in a single teachable moment. For example, after dinner last night, Baby Bear was still a little hungry, so I grabbed an orange and began peeling. Baby Bear, having just recently decided that he loves oranges, instantly ran over and wanted to help. As we worked together to peel the orange and detach the skin, Baby Bear inspected each of the pieces that passed through his hands. He noticed that the orange segments were wet, sticky, and sweet. He didn't like the feel or taste of the skin that was wrapped around each segment. When all the orange segments were gone, he grabbed a large section of orange peel and began playing with it. He flexed and tossed the peel and then laughed when it plopped on the floor. He pointed out that one side was orange and the other was white. He held it to his nose, liked how it smelled, and kept smelling it over and over again. The simple act of eating an orange turned into a fun, successful, on-the-spot-lesson on the five senses!