Red Door Playgroup offers homemade meals and snacks that are organic-based. Meals include a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack for every child one year of age and older.
Family Style Meals
Through our family-style meals at Red Door Playgroup, we recognized the opportunity for continued child development during meal times. During family style snacks and meals, children and teachers sit together at the table, serve themselves from child-size platters, pour drinks from small pitchers, and share thoughts and experiences as they eat. There are many proven benefits to family-style meals in all developmental domains.
Cognitive Development:
Fingers-only self-feeding for children provides a fun and easy way for a child to feel/explore and become acquainted with various textures.
Language Development:
Children engage with their teacher and other students through conversations inspired by healthy foods. Children will learn the name of different foods and learn to use appropriate conversational language such as “may I please have…” “Please pass the…” “Thank you” and others commonly used tableside phrases.
Social Emotional Development:
Self-service fosters independence and empowers children to feel in control of their choices when they practice sharing, passing platters, taking turns, and waiting.
Fine Motor Skill Development:
Family-style dining expands fine motor skills as toddlers serve themselves, learn to hold flatware, and pour their own beverages. It also helps a child develop the small muscle movements that make up the fine motor skills used every day.
Self Help Skills:
Family-style meals foster independence and build a child’s confidence.