Busy Bees – Mealtimes

The children in Busy Bees sit together in their Key Families for meals and quickly get to know the other children on their tables. Mealtimes are viewed as a social time where the adult facilitates conversation with children and their peers, commenting on the food they are eating and encouraging them to talk about likes and dislikes along with a focus on the foods that keep us healthy. Children are encouraged to try new foods and to eat their lunch before receiving pudding. Where possible, children are provided with china plates and bowls along with forks for their main meals and spoons for pudding. With support, children are offered blunt knives as they start to show an interest in cutting up their own food. Portion sizes are monitored and in line with Eating Well for 1-4 Year Olds: Practical Guide, published by The Caroline Walker Trust, 2014. After meals the children wash their own faces and hands with flannels.