Encouraging Independence: Snacktime
This post is sponsored by Nuffnang and Yoplait.
“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.”
~ Denis Waitley, author.
Children are often more capable then we as adults give them credit for. In the busyness of life, it can be quicker and simpler to do things ourselves than to offer the support necessary to guide a young child towards independence. I am a big believer in involving children in everyday tasks around the home, and putting in place systems that enable them to act with age appropriate levels of independence.
One way that we try to provide Immy with a degree of independence has been to set up areas within the kitchen where she can access snacks and drinks by herself. To achieve this I ensure that her snack foods and water jug are stored within the fridge and pantry at levels that she can reach and (as necessary) in containers that she can open with little or no assistance. She is also able to easily access cups, bowls and cutlery, being familiar with where they are stored and again ensuring they located where she can get to them independently.
So how does this work in our house? Snacktime strikes and Immy and I generally discuss what she would like to eat and then she goes to work getting it for herself.
Firstly, Immy is a big fruit and vegetable eater and is pretty much free to eat from the fruit crisper of the fridge (which will usually also contain carrots and/or celery sticks) at any time.
A number of snack choices are also kept on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Yoghurt is a constant on our bottom shelf, it’s that popular that it features as part of breakfast, lunch or snacktime each day. Other choices vary but may include dip, pickles, olives, berries, cherry tomatoes (in summer they are home grown) and tinned vegetables, such as baby corn or champignons.
A small water jug is kept in the door of the fridge, it’s size and location making it easy for Immy to take out to pour her own water.
One shelf in our new pantry houses other snack food choices, these vary but might include;
- Nuts
- Dried fruit
- Water crackers
- Rice crackers
- Rice cakes
- Pretzels
- Biscuits
- Cheerios (which Immy likes to eat dry as a snack)
- Fruit balls
An additional benefit that I have found with our system since Immy started kindy is that this set up also makes it super easy for her to help me pack her lunch bag each day 🙂
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What snacktime staples are a constant in your home?
I usually prepare my kids snacks for them or with them Christie. Do you find that with Immy being able to access the food herself that she is still ready to eat dinner at dinner time? I think my Miss M would appreciate this idea so much now that she is a “big preppie”. Anyway, to answer your question…. we have rice crackers, fresh popcorn, fruit, “dippy cheese” (cream cheese), carrot sticks, apricot balls, vanilla yoghurt (which I add lots of different things to)…..the list goes on.
Hi Amanda, as I mentioned Immy and I will discuss what she wants to eat before she prepares it so I still have the power to veto her choices 🙂 If it is close to dinner time, Immy is usually helping me to prep dinner – in which case she will commonly samples the vegies and things like cheese that will be in our meal – I don’t mind this as whether she eats it raw or cooked it is all good – if I have prepped dinner earlier, then she is generally limited to a carrot or some celery sticks which I don’t find to effect her appetite for dinner.
I love that Immy is a bit older than my daughter Riley because you post things like this right when I’m starting to consider starting them. We have had a drawer for some time that is at Riley’s level and contains a few snacks (sultanas, crackers, biscuits, fruit bars etc – much the same as your pantry) but I have been wondering about doing something similar in the fridge. I like your ideas – better get organised now!
Thank you for saying so, Naamah 🙂
Hi Christie, I love all of your ideas and think this one is really great for encouraging independence. When Immy is not at kindy, does she ask for food very often? Do you have fairly set snack times? Or just whenever she’s hungy? My 3.5 year old asks for food all day long. Sometimes it’s when she’s bored, but much of the time she’s not and I wonder if she’s really hungry every time!! I am looking forward to seeing your ideas when your baby starts crawling/walking 🙂 Whenever my 3.5 year old opens the fridge, my 1 year old is there right away pulling everything out! And same with the cupboards. If I had a drawer/cupboard accessible to by eldest it would have to be suitable for my 1 year old to get into too. Fun times!! 🙂
Oh, and our snack staples are generally fruit & veges, cheese, wholemeal crackers or yoghurt. My little one loves it when I buy baby carrots as she’s finds them much more exciting than normal carrots! And as a “special treat” every so often, I put her yoghurt into an icecream cone, or sprinkle a few hundreds & thousands on to it in a bowl (the ones with no artificial additives) 😉
Love your special treat suggestions 🙂
Hi Fleur, how often Immy asks for food varies day to day. If she is busy and engaged then she often wont ask at all and I will check in with her mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon to see if she is hungry. Other days she seems to be snacking more often, though I think the fact that we have had pretty routine morning and afternoon tea times for so long means she naturally sticks with roughly those times. If she is particularly hungry (which most often happens shortly before lunch or dinner) I invite her to help me with the preparation and she will snack on the ingredients (vegies, cheese, etc) as we go – I figure eating it raw or cooked makes little difference.
When it comes to AJ being older and getting into everything, at least Immy will be able to help get her snack ready as well 😉
I found this a really helpful post thanks , I need to make some snack food more accessible. Fruit is easy but I have crackers etc too high in the pantry and could put a small water jug in our fridge too.
The water jug is great for instilling a real sense of independence, Lisa, and tea towels are always close by for any little spills 🙂
I loved looking at your snack ideas in this post. My kids are not independent with snacks – they would eat all day long! – except in their lunch boxes. I tend to stick to meals and snack times and they get a ‘taster’ plate to share. Works for us but I think Immy will be much better a self-monitoring food in the long run! x
I think a taster plate is an excellent idea for multiple children 🙂
Hi Christie,
My daughter is only 17 months but what I did is I put her biscuits on a covered shelf where she can see her snacks. When she wants to munch on something, she just goes in front of the shelf and point to the nanny what she wants.