Toddlers will eat when they are hungry, and sometimes they will eat and eat and eat! Encourage him to use his words by saying “More please” when he wants more to eat. Give him a choice of what he wants. “Do you want some banana or some apples?” When he has finished eating, allow him to help you clean up by putting his dishes in the sink.
This activity will help your child learn to express herself, gain self control, and begin to develop self-worth. She will learn to respond to language with words and gestures and understand the rules of communication. She will learn to solve problems, to make choices, and to follow the rules and routines that are part of her day. She will begin to understand how she can make her body move to do things purposefully.
Have dinner together as a family. It doesn’t matter who makes up your family, but sit down at the same time and share a meal. Pass the food to one another, discuss your days, and encourage good manners. Get your toddler involved by asking simple questions that he can answer. “Did you have fun at the library today? Did you see Ella at school?”
Eating together will help your child learn to express herself, gain self-control, and begin to develop self-worth. She will learn to communicate with her words and through her gestures. She will begin to understand that there is a routine to dinner time. She will learn to make choices and begin to understand how she can make her body move to do things.
Enact the two bite rule during meals. Encourage your toddler to take two bites of something before he decides he doesn’t like it. Eat the food at the same time, talking about how delicious it tastes. Reinforce healthy choices. Engage him in play by pretending you are dinosaurs or bunnies, eating food to grow tall or to be able to jump really high.
This activity will teach your child to experience new things, help her to learn that there are rules, and give her some control over what she likes and dislikes. She will learn to communicate with you and understand that there is a routine to eating. She will use her fine motor skills as she learns how to pretend play.