31 Days Challenge- Day 20: Let your Kids Play with their Food!

Admittedly, my kids could probably work on better table manners.

I probably let my kids eat with their fingers a little too much... we probably play with our food too often...

But, getting my kids to eat, is just not a struggle- meal times are fun- eating is fun- food is fun!

Your challenge today, is to let your kids play with their food. For some, this may be no challenge at all (if you're "Type A," it may require a little "letting go!")

Here are a few ideas:

1. Let your kids eat their entire meal with their fingers (even if it's not typically finger food.)
2. Challenge your kids to eat the whole meal with a fun utensil: chopsticks, toothpicks, tongs, pasta spoon, etc.
3. With little ones, pretend the spoon or fork is a plane or a train (oldie but goodie!)
4. Make homemade bread and homemade butter. Let them play with some of the dough as you make bread and making butter is pure "play." This would be a great way to get kids to try whole wheat bread!
5. Make homemade pretzels and let the kids practice making the pretzel shape with the dough (another great whole wheat bread baking experience.)
6. Make asparagus and let the kids "sword" fight before they eat it!
7. Have everyone pick up food and do "cheers" before eating it (we got two, two year olds to eat green beans this way!)
8. Make homemade icecream.
9. Put food on a flat plate and let the kids pretend they're dogs eating with their mouths only.
10. Give your kids a variety of foods and let them, "build." Perhaps you can challenge them to make a face, or make a tower.
11. Make homemade microwave popcorn and then play a game trying to toss pieces into a bowl.

What fun ideas do you have for "playing with your food?"