Mealtime rituals

Starting out as an early childhood educator can be both exciting and daunting, with lots of new theories and best practice approaches. This course helps you see mealtimes not just as part of the daily routine, but as rich opportunities for learning, connection, and growth.

Understand the power of mealtimes by exploring the profound impact of mealtime interactions and learn how to create a supportive environment where children thrive. This course recognises that mealtimes are about more than just food—it focuses on how the environments we create and the rituals we uphold can shape a child’s sense of security, belonging and wellbeing. Through practice-based examples and evidence-informed guidance, you will learn how to foster respectful and responsive interactions during mealtimes, support children in listening to their bodies and encourage autonomy in food choices. You will also explore how to create a calm, inclusive and engaging atmosphere where children feel valued and connected.

This course will help you recognise the importance of consistency and predictability through mealtime routines and how these daily rituals can offer rich learning opportunities across communication, self-regulation and social development. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with practical strategies to create meaningful mealtime experiences that nurture children’s physical health and emotional and social growth. This course will support you in transforming everyday mealtimes into powerful moments of connection, learning and care.

In this course, you will:

• explore the benefits of healthy eating and the important role familiar routines and everyday rituals play in children’s lives
• discover ways to arrange your mealtime environments to enrich children’s learning opportunities during mealtimes.

Duration: 30 minutes

Recommended for: Trainee educators and educators starting their career in education and care.