1. Encourage any and all participation!
2. Mix up cookie dough or bread dough encouraging them to use their hands or utensils
3. While you prepare a meal let them do their part, even if it is breaking fresh green beans, tearing lettuce, snapping carrots, mixing ingredients; they can use utensils and even if they can only help for a couple seconds that’s a start!
4. Let them ice a cup cake, a cookie, or a cracker – ask them for help!
5. Let them help gather the items you need and experience holding and carrying different weights, shapes, and textures, experience stretching and reaching high/low to get items for you
6. Encourage taste tasting with you - if they cannot tolerate or resist, just let them experience seeing the foods, seeing you (and anyone else) eat, and have a few bite-sized pieces near for possible touch and taste
7. Make a sensory box of foods they can play with (dry noodles of different sizes and shapes, lentils, beans, split peas, rice); in a separate bowl let them play with cooked spaghetti – supervise for choking hazards! You can make a Non-Edible sensory food box as well as an Edible sensory food box! Supervise for choking hazards!
8. Ask for help in setting the table, and in cleaning off the table (carrying different weighted items, reach, stretch, planning where items go on the table, and the whole process of making a meal and setting it all up are great self help skills to develop and grow!)
9. Even if you know they are not going to taste or eat what you are making, you are giving them the opportunity to experience the activity, to take part in baking, serving, set up, and to give them active exposure to daily routine tasks
