Ready to Play?

Helping your child to enjoy food is vital in moving him on to a healthy diet. It also requires persistence, patience and a simple extra ingredient - fun! It's easy to say, but sometimes during a hard day you just want your toddler to eat his dinner. If you can take a few deep breaths and try some of these little tricks, meal times can be fun again.

Counting Down

Line up little pieces of fruit, vegetables, cheese or whatever you like and play counting as your toddler gobbles them up.

Getting Involved

Often, feeling involved can really help. Ask your toddler to help choose which pieces of fruit or vegetables he would like from a wide variety offered.

Special Things

Giving your child his own special cutlery, plate and mug helps to make mealtimes his own.

Shopping

Play games at the supermarket by asking your child to point out items. "Can you see the carrots?" Then congratulate him when he gets it right. You might find your child is more likely to eat food he has cleverly found.

Watching You Cook

Cooking is really fun and creative. Your toddler can watch from a highchair as you peel, chop and mix foods to make something good to eat. You can let your toddler put the chopped vegetables in the pan for you or help mix something with a spoon. As your child gets older you can get him more involved, and hopefully he will be happy to eat what you have made together.

Food Is Fun

Have a picnic on a rug indoors, dress up as monsters for dinner - whatever it takes to remind your toddler that food is interesting and fun.

Why not arrange meals into shapes or faces? Then ask your toddler to eat the eyes, the hair. He'll find it very amusing and children have the ability to enjoy the same joke over and over and over again.