FUN with FOODS for Sensory Integration Dysfunction

by Kristyn Crow | More from this Blogger

27 Sep 2006 11:55 PM

Is your child a picky eater? Creative food play might help.

In San Antonio, Texas, a group of families who have children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (DSI)--and other eating disorders-- get their kids together for a special kind of play group once a month. They appropriately named their program "FED UP."

Each "Fed Up" meeting not only provides a social opportunity for the preschoolers and toddlers involved, but it's based around a theme. On one gathering, the theme was "balls and circles." The children began their socializing in a ball pit in a tent to warm them up to the circle theme. Next, the children moved to the food table. All the foods that were provided for the children were in the shapes of balls and circles, like spaghetti-os, cheese balls, peas, etc. Because the shapes were interesting and the presentation was so clever, the children were more inclined to taste and eat the foods. They also were encouraged by watching the other toddlers snacking.

Another "Fed Up" meeting had a "sounds" theme. The children began their socializing by popping bubble wrap, snapping packing peanuts, and making other fun sounds. Then at the eating table they were presented with noisy foods like chips, pretzels, nuts, and crackers. The children were taught some eating techniques, like how to let certain crunchy foods melt a little in their mouths to lessen the noise of chewing.

Try Fun Food Themes at Home

Although a play group of this type would be fun to put together, you can try sensory play with foods at home to help vary your child's diet and encourage him to try new things. It might take a little bit of prep time, but the benefits might just be well worth it.

Here are some ideas for exploring foods with your son or daughter:

• Square Theme - Foods: Toast, waffles, crackers, cheese slices ravioli, tofu, melon, cubed chicken, etc. Preparatory Activities: Have your child climb into a box and feel the sides of it. Play with square blocks on the table and stack them into larger squares.
• String Theme - Foods: Spaghetti, Ramen noodles, licorice string, string cheese, celery, asparagus, string beans, etc. Preparatory Activities: Play with strings, yarn, rubber bands, twine, and strings with various textures.
• Sticky/Mushy Theme - Foods: Mashed potatoes, apple sauce, honey, oatmeal, peanut butter, banana, hummus, etc. Preparatory Activities: Play dough, silly putty, toy slime, and mashing up the food prior to eating.

• Color Theme - Foods: Colorful Jell-o squares, apples, oranges, squash, jelly beans, tomato sauce, carrot sticks, etc. Preparatory Activities: Coloring, finger paints, sorting colored blocks, reading books that teach color, etc.

Exploring foods in a new way may help the child who is sensitive to tastes and textures. Try having "food fun" at home with your child, or start your own special play group!

Related Articles:

Solve Your Child's Eating Problems

Will a Special Diet Help Your Child?

What is Your Child's Sensitivity Profile?

Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.

This idea and many other wonderful ideas can be found in the book, "The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun" by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.

Learn more about Kristyn Crow

Kristyn Crow is the mother of seven children, and the author of three children's books. Visit her website at www.kristyncrow.com.

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Megan Bayliss (3586) 28 Sep 2006 12:02 AM

What an absolutely fantastic idea. You could do the same for emotions using cookies or sweets that have faces on them - even making faces, with expressions, on pizza bases. Great idea Kristyn.

Gwyllum (301) 28 Sep 2006 02:51 AM

Kristyn, your article is really good. Hope these ideas assist many parents. I know my children always took to foods served up in novel ways. My grandchildren love sitting down to treats of fruits and or vegies arranged on a plate as a clown face or an animal shape, the range is endless. Also, serving fruits in skins is good too - such as melons, pineapples, etc. When living in very humid, tropical countries, I frequently served meals on suitable leaves, placed in the centre of the table so all could help themselves. Adults loved that too.

Kristyn Crow (2546) 28 Sep 2006 08:15 AM

Those are great ideas! Another fun food activity for these kids is to make a "dipping bar." Set up many little bowls, or even use an egg carton, and put various dipping sauces like ketchup, ranch, peanut butter, apple sauce, yogurt, chocolate pudding, etc. Then let the child try dipping carrots, apple slices, crackers, etc. in the different sauces. Carrotts with ketchup? Strange, but so what? If if helps get the child to try new foods and experiment, it's doing some good and fun, too.

Gianna559 (29) 07 Sep 2009 01:43 PM

Another great article Kristyn! I'll have to try these methods with my son, he's a major sensory kid.