Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/mealtime-from-chaos-to-calm/5011991/
Serving meals in early childhood programs isn't exactly like serving a meal in an elegant restaurant - it's more like a boisterous family meal with the added intensity that comes from having a group of children with different needs, interests, backgrounds, and experiences. Providing a nutritious meal while at the same time making mealtime a productive and educational part of the day requires skill, practice, and planning. No matter how carefully planned and implemented, however, mealtime is certain to occasionally add chaos and extra challenge to an already busy day.Mealtime represents a significant portion of the child care routine and should be considered part of the curriculum, not a break in the day. Many of the frustrations associated with mealtime occur because it is not planned as thoroughly as other parts of the day. Menu planning is just one part of the preparation that is required. Careful consideration must also be given to the way that children are expected to participate and interact, the skills and practice opportunities that will be included, and the relationship between mealtime and other curriculum activities.
Successful mealtimes build on the developmental skills and abilities of the children and require that adults have a thorough ...