If possible, introduce family style dining to your toddlers. Allow them to help you set the table, pass the food to one another, and to ask for seconds if they are still hungry. Make sure that you are sitting at the table with the children to facilitate conversation.
Helping out like this will help the children develop self-worth and self-control. They will have the opportunity to interact with others as they develop communication skills. They will also develop their coordination and build routines into their daily schedules.
Enact the two-bite rule during lunch and snack time. Encourage the children to take two bites of something before they decide that they don’t like it. When possible, eat a small amount of the food too, and talk about how delicious it tastes. Engage the children by telling them that eating the healthy food will help them grow taller and stronger.
Developing into adventurous eaters will also help the children learn to express their feelings and to trust the important people in their lives. Talking about the foods will help them build their communication skills and oral language development. They will begin to understand that there are rules and regulations for them to follow.
When the children are playing outside or working in learning centers, give them a two-minute warning before they have to clean up and transition to a new activity. Once the time is up, stick to your words and require the children to stop what they are doing.
Being consistent with your rules will help the children work on their self-control and learn that they are required to do things when asked, not always when they would like to. They will build their physical strength and their oral language skills.