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Do you have a child who has sensory issues? Or do you have a picky eater? It’s really common to have both!
If your child already has diagnosed or known sensory sensitivities showing up when it comes to everyday activities, these are likely to add problems when it comes to food.
Eating is a complex behavioral and sensory task…it requires all of our senses!
Picky eaters don’t always have sensory problems that get in their way of being better eaters, BUT if you have a sensory sensitive child who is also a picky eater, this can make things extra tricky!
Whether you are dealing with one or both of these challenges, luckily there are some things you can do at home to help things along.
These ideas are great for ALL kids! You can keep the focus on having some fun together in the kitchen with these activities for your sensory sensitive or picky eater kids, while helping them progress at the same time.
Cutting – Use plastic/kid chef knives and let your child practice cutting fruits, veggies, cheeses, etc.
Kids can help cut up/prepare the ingredients for a salad or soup to take part in ‘cooking’ for the family.
Spreading – Let your child use a knife to ‘paint’ their pancake, bread, crackers, fruit, etc. with butter,
jam, nut butter, cream cheese, or other choices.
Shape Making – Fun shapes are more appealing to children! Use favorite cookie cutters to cut
sandwiches (breads, tortillas, meats, cheeses), fruits and veggies and more.
Mashing – Give your child the hand masher to help make potatoes, applesauce, or to mash the butter
into the flour or sugar when making cookies.
Rolling – Another great sensory activity! Have your child roll out prepared dough with a rolling pin.
Try putting cake or cookie toppings into a sealed plastic bag for kids to roll over with the rolling pin
or they can use their hands or fingers to ‘crush’ the ingredients inside the bag.
Get these ideas in my FREE Sensory Kitchen Activities printable page!
Fun Presentation Ideas
When serving new or familiar foods, mix it up a bit and try using tiny cocktail forks and spoons,
plastic toothpicks for fruit on a stick, shape themes like ‘circle’ crackers and cheeses, funny faces with
fruits or veggies on waffles, toast or pizzas, and spoons and silly straws for smoothies/drinks.
Get help transforming your picky eater with Build a Better Eater – the short go-to guidebook, written by a behavioral feeding coach for kids.
Engaging your sensory-sensitive or picky eater kids in the kitchen can transform mealtime challenges into fun learning experiences. These kitchen activities for sensory sensitive or picky eater kids not only help your children explore new textures and flavors at their own pace but also foster essential skills like fine motor development and self-regulation. From squishing dough to mixing colorful ingredients, these hands-on activities provide a safe and enjoyable way for your kids to connect with food. By involving your children in the cooking process, you can create a positive, stress-free environment that encourages healthy eating habits and a willingness to try new foods.
All blog content shared through HealthSmart! Kids is for informational purposes only and not to be construed as medical advice. Always talk with your qualified health care provider for managing your health care needs.
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