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This week you are asking your child to help you wash fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. This is such a good way to expose them to new fruits and vegetables in a low-pressure environment.
If you feel like your kid is automatically saying "no" to new foods at the table, this might be because they feel pressured to eat or try those foods. They might even be hesitant to touch the new foods at all. It can feel threatening to have unfamiliar foods or foods that they don't like on their plate.
Because of this, it is so important to expose your child to these foods in a safe, fun, no-pressure environment, such as in the kitchen.
Depending on your child's age, you can do this several ways:
- you can genuinely ask them for their help and pull up a step stool to the sink (for older kids)
- you can pretend that you need their help (for younger toddlers)
- you can set them up with a bin or bowl of water and some safe fruits and veggies for them to play with (for super young toddlers)
Just make sure not to leave your kid unattended because toddler + water = wet slippery floors. Also, watch your kid carefully to make sure they don't accidentally bite off a piece of fruit and vegetable that might be a choking hazard, or might not be meant to eat raw. Otherwise, you can encourage them to try fruits and veggies that are safe for them to eat!
Psst, if you happened to come across this page and are wondering what the heck this is all about: We are doing the 52 Weeks of Sensory challenge. Come join us!