Anyone have any ideas for simple food activities for toddlers?

Question

I've done a whole bunch of food activities with the kids in my class and I was just hoping to get some original ideas for simple, nutritious food activities that toddlers can do. Thank you!

Answer 1

When my son was in pre-school, he had to make something with Applesauce and Graham crackers,[cinnamon ones, I believe]. if I remember correctly, you break the crackers along the lines, then put some applesauce on top of one of them, then another cracker, then applesauce. repeat until you have a stack of the four parts of the cracker. refridgerate for awhile, then enjoy. They were really good.

Answer 2

When I was younger my pre-school class read the story, "Green eggs and Ham"- Dr. Seuss. After we read the story my teacher told us we were going to make green eggs and ham. It was fun, and not only that, but when we were eating our green eggs and ham we watched the movie.

It was a wonderful time. Also to make things more fun, act it out afterwards, or dress up as characters that day from any Dr. Seuss book. Have a Dr. Seuss Day.

Answer 3

Ants on a log (rasins on a pretzel stuck on with peanut butter.)

Make a hot dog octopus (a hot dog sat upright with long slits on the bottom and dots of ketchup and mustard for the eyes and nose) sorry. that's all i can come up with!

Answer 4

You say toddlers...One of these may work...

Because it's winter:

Winter Snowman (food fun)

Need: Large marshmallows, pretzel sticks and raisins.

Give each child 2 marshmallows, 3 pretzel sticks and a few raisins. Have them take a pretzel stick and put it into the middle of one of the marshmallows, then place the other marshmallow on top. Now take the other two pretzels and use them for the arms. Use the raisins for eyes, nose, and mouth. Eat...:-)

A fun activity during winter. Have children pick their favorite drink (fruit punch, apple juice, etc) and then pour this into an ice cube tray. Write their name on a popsicle stick and it in the tray. Last- put this outside and let it freeze (if it is not cold enough you can put it in the freezer) The children then have an igloo block for snack.

Jell-o in the Snow

Make Jell-o according to directions on package. Pour into clean baby food jars—one for each child. Place containers in large tub and fill the tub with snow. When jell-o is set…enjoy!

Igloos

Ingredients: Canned peach halves, paper towels, small paper plates, cool-whip type topping, coconut-optional, small graham cracker figures such as teddy bears or elves.

Pat dry the peach half-and put on paper place. Cover the peach with the topping to resemble an igloo. Sprinkle on the coconut. Use the topping to "glue" the figure to the igloo.

Banana Blizzards

To serve about 10 children - Blend together one cup cold milk with two or three bananas in a blender. Ask the children to count aloud as you add ten snowballs (scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt) to the blender. Then invite the children to turn the blender on and off again to create the blizzard. Serve in 5 ounce cups.

Good idea for winter-time —

Have a winter picnic. Take lunch and blankets to a room where you usually don't eat. Play a nature sounds CD

Snowman cookie

Nice after snow play ....this gives 1 Snowman Snack

3 vanilla wafers, 1 tablespoon vanilla icing, Raisins/sprinkles/candy corn/other garnish

Place vanilla wafers on plate so they are in a vertical line.

Coat each wafer with vanilla icing.

Decorate snowman however you like. Some ideas: round sprinkles for eyes and mouth, raisins for buttons, candy corn for nose



Bumps on a log...(Not ants--but bumps)

1 celery stalk, washed and ends trimmed

2 tablespoons creamy or chunky peanut butter (cream cheese if allergies)

10 Raisenettes Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins

This is nice for any of the multi-cultural days coming up (Martin Leuther King Jr. and Black History month)

Apples---different colors---all the same inside!

Set a red, a yellow, and a green apple on the table. If more pre-school than toddler age...ask children to name the colors. Cut the apples open and talk about how they have different colors on the outside... but are the same on the inside, just like people. Enjoy the snack!

Probably the best with a very young child is a variety of small finger foods. Put out of a variey textured snack foods. The children could indicate choices to put in their "personal container". Select from cheerios, rice-chex, raisins, m & m's, mini-marshmallows, mini-pretzels, gold-fish, etc. They'll just "finger-eat" and/or  put in categories--what they create.

Winter Necklace and Animal feeder

You'll need:

Large needle

string or fishing line

popped corn

dried fruit; raisins, cranberries, apple and apricot

pieces of orange peel (optional )

How to Make It:

Measure the length of line that you need to fit the necklace over a child's head. Don't forget to leave enough for tying off. Thread the needle and string the popcorn and other items alternately. Children can wear their necklace for a while and then hang the necklace onto a tree or shrub for the local wildlife. Tip: The orange peel adds a very pleasant scent. Put a bit of all natural peanut butter on the necklace before placing it outside. The oils and protein are great for the birds!

Have Fun!

There are a wealth of ideas for a great variety of pre-school to grade 8 activites at:

http://www.after-school-care.com/Forum.a...

Answer 5

Making ants on a log is always fun - celery sticks w/peanut butter and raisins

Also, not as healthy, but making cookies (sugar cookies) is a great activity.  They can use cookie cutters to make all kinds of neat shapes.

Another is to make Alphabet Breadsticks - you have the dough for your breadsticks, and then the kiddies can mold them into various letters/numbers/shapes, then bake them and eat them with marinara sauce!

Sorry, I know, not much, but there are so many I can't quite remember!  Will edit as they come to mind...

Answer 6

found this site, looks pretty good

http://www.first-school.ws/theme/nutriti...

Answer 7

Chocolate activities

http://www.chocolate-playground.com/acti...

Answer 8

you can make your students cut (with plastic knifes) the fruits to make fruit salad and the add a little bit of ice cream.

make sandwiches that have shapes (with cookie cutters)

bake cookies

make ice creams but with juice (package) to study from liquid to solid....

Answer 9

make a fuit ice cream snowman. use that scoop to make a snowman ice cream in the bowl. use a little peice of a banana for the nose. use grapes or seedless cherries for the eyes. and use peanuts or raisins for the mouth. to get creative use neopolitan ice cream so every layer of the snowman can be a different flavor and color. try it u will love it.      SNOWMAN ICE CREAM SUNDAE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

you can make cut out cookies your self and have them frost them and decorate them with sprinkles

or you can do ants on a log you take pieces of celery and put peanut butter and raisins on it

Answer 11

ask them to make "pastillas". heheh ☺