Meal times not only encourage children’s social interactions, but also provide them the opportunity to gain and build their independence. The children in our Under Two community eat lunch around our child-size tables. A teacher sits with the group to assist anyone needing assistance. Size appropriate furniture along with age appropriate dishes and utensils are used to promote self-serving and self-feeding. The physical arrangement promotes the use of the child’s self-help skills boosting their self-confidence.
Observation and Findings
Meal times provide children the opportunity to build on their social interest skills by talking and interacting with their peers and teachers. Often, teachers are guiding the conversation by asking questions about the food such as taste and textures or recalling events and experiences. Through these conversations, children are able to build relationships with others allowing them to find common interests and connect through similar experiences.
During meal times, children are also encouraged to practice their imitation skills by learning from what they have observed from their peers and teachers. As children sit together, they learn how to perform certain tasks and master different skills by watching what others do and how they do them. It can be as simple as how to use a spoon to pick up their food or as complex as how to scrape and clear their area once they are done eating. Children learn through observation and imitation throughout their daily lives.
Meal times also help children to form a sense of self by promoting independence and offering chances to exercise certain skills that the children will need as they grow and develop. By giving them the time and opportunity to do things on their own and at their own pace, the children are able to continue practicing and mastering these skills.
