Karina Gonzalez, M.S., CCC-SLP
Do you remember your parents telling you to not play with your food? Well, I'm here to tell you that for a picky eater or a child that is aversive to textures, playing with food is a must. All children need to explore textures with their hands. Exploring the textures of food, helps to develop a good eating habit. It is important to start early, yes as soon as he's old enough to sit on a high chair, and don't be afraid to get messy! Playing with food has many benefits, here are a few:
- Allows the child to become comfortable with the colors, textures, and smells of food with out having to eat it.
- Makes meal time fun.
- Helps get rid of any sensory issues on the hands and fingers (Some of these kids don't like to touch sand, grass, or even soap).
- Builds confidence, especially if you reward them.
- Develops good eating habits (as mentioned above).
- Develops good hand-eye coordination.
- Develops find motor skills, especially if they have to pick up small foods like Cheerios or slippery ones like spaghetti.
- Develops hand to mouth coordination that will also help with overall self feeding skills.
- Helps to develop play skills.
