Summary

Children will discuss the importance of taking time to eat and different ways they can make eating enjoyable. Following the prompts from a script, they will be guided through an activity where they will practice eating thoughtfully. Finally, they will share a snack with their peers and practice engaging in conversation.

Prep time

30 minutes

Activity duration

40 minutes

On this page

Learning goals

  • Practice eating thoughtfully while using their senses.
  • Analyze the benefits of taking time to eat and how they can make eating enjoyable.
  • Practice taking time to eat, putting away distractions, and connecting with others over food.

Materials

Planning considerations

  • Consider how much time you would like your group to spend on this activity.
    • The Part 1 and Part 2 activities can be completed on the same day or divided into 2 sessions.
  • Write the following two phrases on separate pieces of flip chart paper and post them in an area of the room where all children can see them:
    • Taking time to eat can help you…
    • Things you can do to enjoy the eating experience include…

Part 1 - Eating with all of your senses: Planning

Part 2 - Conversation cards: Planning

  • Prepare a snack for each child or gather ingredients and prepare with your group.

Connecting to Canada’s food guide

Activity instructions

Engage

  • Seat children in pairs and read one of the sentences on the flip chart papers to the group.
  • Invite children to think, chat, and share about the statement on the flip chart paper.
    • Think
      • Give the children a couple minutes to think quietly, on their own, about their response to the question on the flip chart paper.
      • Invite them to give you a thumbs up to let you know they have completed the task and have a response in mind.
    • Chat
      • Ask children to share their response with their partner.
      • Invite them to chat about their answers as a pair and decide on a few responses.
    • Share
      • Invite each pair to share their responses with the entire group.
      • As children provide responses, write them on the flip chart paper.
  • Repeat the activity with the question on the second flip chart paper.
  • Using the information from the Take time to eat page, discuss any other considerations not mentioned by children. For example:
    • Taking time to eat can help you:
      • enjoy your food
      • focus on flavours of your food
      • enjoy eating with others
    • Things you can do to enjoy the eating experience include:
      • enjoying the smells, textures, and flavours of your food
      • enjoying others’ company when you eat
      • noticing when you’ve had enough to eat
      • eating without distractions, i.e. putting away games, electronics, and cellphones
  • Leave the flip chart papers posted in an area of the room where children can refer back to them.
  • Be mindful that children have varying access to food. We encourage you to think about how sensitive this topic may be and to address it with care and compassion.

Explore

Part 1 - Eating with all of your senses

  • Before starting the activity minimize distractions in your space.  Invite children to turn off and put away electronics or objects that might distract them, for example:
    • tablets
    • computers
    • cell phones
    • toys, games or fidgets
  • Ask children to wash their hands and to clean the surface where they will be eating.
  • Provide each child with clementine slices or another food item, like an apple slices or strawberries.
  • Explain to the children that the group is going to eat these items in two different ways to practice eating thoughtfully.
  • Ask children to wait until they receive instructions before proceeding to eat the food items.
  • Read Eating with all of your senses activity scripts. This script will provide instructions and cues on how to touch, look, smell, and taste if desired, the food item. Children who do not wish to eat the food item can participate in exploring the item with their other senses.
  • Once you have completed the activity, invite children to think, chat and share their responses with the group on the following questions. Use the same process as outlined in the engage activity and ask:
    • How was the smell, texture, taste and appearance of the clementines?
    • Did you notice anything when eating the second item that you didn’t notice with the first? For example:
      • feel
      • taste
      • smell
      • shape
      • colour
      • texture
      • appearance

Part 2 – Conversation cards

  • Provide each child with a snack and divide them in groups of 3 to 4.
  • Give children 10 minutes to eat their snack and engage in conversation with their peers.
    • During this time, children can choose to eat or not eat.
    • Allow children to eat at their own pace.
    • Ask them to stay seated and talk to the peers around them.
  • Once children have stopped eating their snack, provide each group with a deck of Conversation cards. Ask them to pick a few cards to go through as a group, answering the prompts provided.

Explain

  • Engage the group in a discussion about the conversation cards.
  • Ask:
    • Which topics did you discuss with your peers while sharing the snack?
    • Did you notice the smells, texture, appearance and tastes of the snack?
    • Do you think you would notice the appearance, smell, taste and texture as much if you were eating while watching television or using electronics?
Toolkit for educators

More activities for ages 9 to 11

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