Dinner Winner Plate
A Dinner Winner Plate is great for development in all areas!
Language: Food vocabulary, actions, sequencing
Pragmatics: Turn-taking and joint attention
Fine Motor/Visual Motor: Developing a mature pincer grasp is best learned during feeding! Model and encourage children to make an “O” with their thumb and pointer finger when they pick up Cheerios, peas, or any small pieces of food. Alternate finger feeding with learning to use a spoon and fork for some hearty grasping practice!
Sensory: Some children have oral sensory sensitivity and dislike certain textures of food. Often, they also have tactile and olfactory sensitivity and refuse to even touch or smell some foods. This motivating plate might be the incentive they need to try non-preferred foods. Repeated exposure to a variety of foods and textures will help put them on a path to healthy eating habits.
Gross Motor: An older child can throw a dice onto the plate and a gross motor task may be assigned to wherever the dice lands, i.e. if Cinderella’s shoe, the child would have to stand on one foot for 5 seconds.