We're back with pediatric occupational therapist Laurel McMilian of Little Roos Pediatric Therapy to share three more simple yet effective strategies for engaging your child in sensory play at the dinner table. These tips make every bite a fun and sensory experience, helping your child develop a healthy relationship with food while exploring new sensory experiences.

1: Let your child help prepare the food

Involving your child in cooking, preparing and serving provides a rich sensory experience that strengthens their connection to food. Everything from rinsing and chopping vegetables to setting the table stimulates the senses of touch, smell and taste. Being involved in the process creates a sense of pride and ownership, which makes the child more likely to try and enjoy the food they have helped create. It is a fun and educational way to promote a positive attitude towards food while introducing them to new textures and flavours.

2: Make the meal playful

Turn mealtime into sensory playtime through creative, hands-on activities like painting sauces on your plate or using your fingers to explore your food. For children who love to touch different textures and colors, this can spark curiosity and engagement. If your child is wary of touching food, you can instead present it in a creative way or let them use utensils to interact with it. This playful approach creates positive associations with food and increases the willingness to try new things.

💡 Tip: Use our Sensory Bowl / Sensory Starter Set to make mealtime even more engaging and fun! The bowl's textured design encourages exploration, while the strong suction base keeps it in place and minimizes spills. It's the perfect tool to make mealtime a sensory and playful experience.

3: Sensory exploration with a ziplock bag

For babies, sensory play can start with something as simple as a ziplock bag at mealtime. Place small portions of different foods in the bag, seal it tightly, and let your baby squeeze, poke, and explore textures and colors without direct contact. This can be a great solution for babies who are easily overwhelmed by new foods, as it allows them to familiarize themselves with food in a safe and controlled way . At the same time, you can describe colors, textures, and smells to enrich their sensory experience and help them make connections between what they see and feel.

These simple and fun methods are not only a great way to encourage sensory play, but also to help your child develop a positive relationship with food . By making mealtime an interactive experience , you’re laying the foundation for healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime! 🍽️✨