Should Food Be Used for Sensory Play?

[ColorfulSunburst]

if we don't use dry rice and beans for sensory activities does it help somehow to starving people in other countries?

[Msdunny]

I just saw this posted on Pintrest, and honestly, I had never heard of this concern until this post.

[Snowmom]

I completely respect your opinion and appreciate the different perspective. I have worked with children who have food insecurities and I have dealt with my own growing up. I've also dealt with a lot of kids who have plenty of access to food, but have actual fears of a food due to being forced to eat or punished for not eating. The amount of pressure that parents put on a child to eat, can be very hard for the child to handle. I think it's incredibly sad that in a country with an abundance of food , money, and accessibility to government assistance, that any child goes to bed hungry. I know food is a very sensitive issue for some people, but I guess I handle it in the same way I handle a lot of other things, related to food or any other subject. I address them and get to the root of the issue and see where I can make an impact.

We contribute to the summer food program and the snack pack program. These programs ensure access to a meal in the summer everyday, as well as snacks over the weekend during the school year and summer. We donate to the food pantry and serve weekly meals at our church. My current company works with a harvest program and donates thousands of dollars of food per month.

I like to teach my own children to be compassionate to the plight of others and to be respectful to those in need, but I dont feel limiting food to only eating is a necessary reaction to a serious issue. I have grown up, as well as used in my own daycare, items like pasta noodles, rice, dry beans, homemade Play-Doh, flour and baby oil, ect for years. They are relatively cheap household items that offer fun and creative play for children. And I don't know if it's a higher power, but we always seem to have a lot of those items sitting in the cupboard.:: Making Play-Doh was a very common occurrence in our house. And I prefer to work with those items instead of plastic products and such. I also love working with dirt, water, wood, really any natural stuff. And I swear I'm not some crunchy granola type! I just like simple stuff and I really enjoyed playing with food growing up. If I ever felt it was a problem for a child in my care, I would definitely readdress the issue. But so far, it's just been fun.

But I do think the instructor in this case did not make her point very well. Certainly not as well as you made your point. Its too bad you don't teach those classes!

Agreed on all points!

[Blackcat31]

I completely respect your opinion and appreciate the different perspective. I have worked with children who have food insecurities and I have dealt with my own growing up. I've also dealt with a lot of kids who have plenty of access to food, but have actual fears of a food due to being forced to eat or punished for not eating. The amount of pressure that parents put on a child to eat, can be very hard for the child to handle. I think it's incredibly sad that in a country with an abundance of food , money, and accessibility to government assistance, that any child goes to bed hungry. I know food is a very sensitive issue for some people, but I guess I handle it in the same way I handle a lot of other things, related to food or any other subject. I address them and get to the root of the issue and see where I can make an impact.

We contribute to the summer food program and the snack pack program. These programs ensure access to a meal in the summer everyday, as well as snacks over the weekend during the school year and summer. We donate to the food pantry and serve weekly meals at our church. My current company works with a harvest program and donates thousands of dollars of food per month.

I like to teach my own children to be compassionate to the plight of others and to be respectful to those in need, but I dont feel limiting food to only eating is a necessary reaction to a serious issue. I have grown up, as well as used in my own daycare, items like pasta noodles, rice, dry beans, homemade Play-Doh, flour and baby oil, ect for years. They are relatively cheap household items that offer fun and creative play for children. And I don't know if it's a higher power, but we always seem to have a lot of those items sitting in the cupboard.:: Making Play-Doh was a very common occurrence in our house. And I prefer to work with those items instead of plastic products and such. I also love working with dirt, water, wood, really any natural stuff. And I swear I'm not some crunchy granola type! I just like simple stuff and I really enjoyed playing with food growing up. If I ever felt it was a problem for a child in my care, I would definitely readdress the issue. But so far, it's just been fun.

But I do think the instructor in this case did not make her point very well. Certainly not as well as you made your point. Its too bad you don't teach those classes!

Thank you!

I do have to add that I compartmentalize this type of thing.

How I feel personally often differs in comparison to how I feel professionally. Meaning what I do within my program may or may not be completely different than what I would/wouldn't do with my own kids.

I think that some people take pleasure in demeaning others for their choices . I am a believer in what works for one, may not work for all. The “know it all” attitude happens all the time, but it is never ok to make someone feel bad. If we were talking about kids acting like this , the word bully may or may not be used.

Are you referring to me as a bully/know it all or the instructor?

[e.j.]

That presenter was rude and incredibly sanctimonious. I give you credit for not walking out on her. Hopefully, there was an evaluation form given out at the end of her lecture (and I do mean lecture!) so you could let her know how unprofessional she was.

I'm torn on this issue because I can see merit in arguments both for and against the use of food in play.
I don't use food in a lot of my crafts and activities probably in part because I was taught not to waste food but more so because I worry about attracting ants! (I had one kid stuff food under my tv cabinet and I didn't realize it until I noticed the ant trail.) Every once in a while, though, I do use food for a craft if it looks like fun and is apropos to what we're learning at the time.

I don't see using food in a craft or activity as disrespectful or insensitive in and of itself but I could see where it might be if my clients were struggling to afford food, had a child with allergies or food sensitivities or otherwise had objections for cultural reasons. In those cases, I would try to be respectful and sensitive to their feelings by choosing not to do a craft or activity that involved food or if I felt strongly about its use, I would explain and give them the option not to have their child take part in the activity.

I wonder if the workshop instructor enjoys an occasional hamburger or steak despite the fact that there are those in the world who see cows as holy? I wonder if she drove to the workshop in her gas powered, air polluting car when there are others who have to walk miles to work (if they can get work)? Does she take a hot shower every day or allow her child to swim in a pool or play in a water table despite the fact that there are children in the world who are dying from lack of water? Does she live in a McMansion despite the fact that there are children in the world who are living in cars, tents, mud huts...? Would she consider herself disrespectful or culturally insensitive or is it just the use of some rice or a box of macaroni that makes her get up on her high horse?

[Pestle]

I avoid plastics and other pollutants when possible. Trash trickles down to the poor and to the natural world. My consumption and disposal of materials DOES affect other communities far away from me, and I want my daycare kids to grow up noticing and questioning the use of humanmade, nonbiodegradable materials. What sensory bin fillers are out there for people who don't want to pay into the manufacturing of pollutants, or add more pollutants to the landfill once the sensory bin contents have reached the end of their usability?

[coloradoprovider]

Good question

I avoid plastics and other pollutants when possible. Trash trickles down to the poor and to the natural world. My consumption and disposal of materials DOES affect other communities far away from me, and I want my daycare kids to grow up noticing and questioning the use of humanmade, nonbiodegradable materials. What sensory bin fillers are out there for people who don't want to pay into the manufacturing of pollutants, or add more pollutants to the landfill once the sensory bin contents have reached the end of their usability?

Yes, what alternative, that doesn't add to the huge plastic problem, is there for sensory bins?

[flying_babyb]

wonder what she would say about using flour? We do lots of stuff with flour. Im early head start so no food.

[Cat Herder]

Rolling up to my house in an Escalade, wearing high heels, fake nails, thick makeup, sharpee brows, hair extensions, 30 pieces of jewelry, reeking of perfume, complaining about cattle gaps and judging the 1 to 5 "comfort level" of my rural home and land is culturally insensitive.

I am a little burned out with the double standards.

[Rockgirl]

That presenter was rude and incredibly sanctimonious. I give you credit for not walking out on her. Hopefully, there was an evaluation form given out at the end of her lecture (and I do mean lecture!) so you could let her know how unprofessional she was.

I'm torn on this issue because I can see merit in arguments both for and against the use of food in play.
I don't use food in a lot of my crafts and activities probably in part because I was taught not to waste food but more so because I worry about attracting ants! (I had one kid stuff food under my tv cabinet and I didn't realize it until I noticed the ant trail.) Every once in a while, though, I do use food for a craft if it looks like fun and is apropos to what we're learning at the time.

I don't see using food in a craft or activity as disrespectful or insensitive in and of itself but I could see where it might be if my clients were struggling to afford food, had a child with allergies or food sensitivities or otherwise had objections for cultural reasons. In those cases, I would try to be respectful and sensitive to their feelings by choosing not to do a craft or activity that involved food or if I felt strongly about its use, I would explain and give them the option not to have their child take part in the activity.

I wonder if the workshop instructor enjoys an occasional hamburger or steak despite the fact that there are those in the world who see cows as holy? I wonder if she drove to the workshop in her gas powered, air polluting car when there are others who have to walk miles to work (if they can get work)? Does she take a hot shower every day or allow her child to swim in a pool or play in a water table despite the fact that there are children in the world who are dying from lack of water? Does she live in a McMansion despite the fact that there are children in the world who are living in cars, tents, mud huts...? Would she consider herself disrespectful or culturally insensitive or is it just the use of some rice or a box of macaroni that makes her get up on her high horse?

Well said. Great examples, especially the water.

[knoxmomof2]

My bigger issue is with the presenter. You be rude to me like that and I'm going to tell you to shove it up your virtue signaling a$$. Honestly things like this in my opinion is one of ECE's biggest problems- "experts" who take things to the point the average parent or non-professional will hear it and be between and . This is a major reason I flat out refuse to participate in FCCRS/ QRIS or whatever IL is calling it now.

I'm sorry you went through that. Regardless of the subject matter your presenter acted like an idiot.

This! All of this!!! This is why I decided to stick with my license exempt group of 4. The nitpicking and micromanaging and the rules that even the departments will admit don't make sense or contradict each other and I'm stuck in the middle trying to march to the beat of everyone's drums? No thank you!

[LostMyMarbles]

Thank you!

I do have to add that I compartmentalize this type of thing.

How I feel personally often differs in comparison to how I feel professionally. Meaning what I do within my program may or may not be completely different than what I would/wouldn't do with my own kids.



Are you referring to me as a bully/know it all or the instructor?

I Musta posted my reply late in the game. I thought we were talking about the instructor, not you black cat. I wasn’t saying anyone specifically. I was saying in general anyone who makes people feel bad and takes pleasure from that is a bully. Unfortunately it happens all the time. And even as adults we need to learn how to deal with it To the bestTo the best of our ability.

I feel bad for the original poster. You want to join in and participate, but at the same time,You are afraid of getting ridiculed if your response is not the popular opinion.

[Blackcat31]

I Musta posted my reply late in the game. I thought we were talking about the instructor, not you black cat. I wasn’t saying anyone specifically. I was saying in general anyone who makes people feel bad and takes pleasure from that is a bully. Unfortunately it happens all the time. And even as adults we need to learn how to deal with it To the bestTo the best of our ability.

I feel bad for the original poster. You want to join in and participate, but at the same time,You are afraid of getting ridiculed if your response is not the popular opinion.

No worries, I was just clarifying.
Sometimes it's hard to tell who everyone is replying to or just replying in general.

[knoxmomof2]

Maybe I'm basic and misguided because I'm just a SAHM that keeps 4 children, but this is just another one of those things that is just too much. You're going to offend someone somewhere over something. I don't feel like this is the biggest sin one could commit. I've read the information on this, and I feel fine with my choices. If a family was offended by their child playing with rice, we're not a good match. I can't speak to a child being so hungry that they stuff their pockets from the sensory bin (which is sad, I agree) but does that mean that child care shouldn't have cleanliness or warmth or electricity or nice toys because the children might not have those at home either?

I keep the under 5 crowd and they love the feeling of running their hands through a tub full of rice or oatmeal! Heck, I do! At what other time does anyone get the chance to do it? The beach is the only experience like that and I haven't been in years! Plus, sand isn't edible.. Haha At the right age, about 3.5 and older, when they don't spill it everywhere and they can be left to sit for a bit, they'll play for 30-45 minutes with a tub of rice, a couple of reused yogurt cups and a reused formula scoop! I use large sized food storage bins with a lid. The rice in those containers is there for about 2 years with occasional top offs from accidental spills. I'm very big on reminding them not to spill so that we don't waste what is in the bin. I hate wasting anything! And as I've seen others say, I waste more throwing away uneaten food than I do having a few food storage bins of rice.

In child care, we're going to use supplies of some kind. How is a bag of rice that I am careful to use responsibly, any worse than finger paints or paper or pencils? There's a pro and a con to every option we choose. I prefer something that's sterile and edible in a situation like this.

[LostMyMarbles]

No worries, I was just clarifying.
Sometimes it's hard to tell who everyone is replying to or just replying in general.

I totally get what you’re saying. I’ve had that happen myself.The subject has come up many times with my sister. My she has a special needs son who loves sensory bins.It’s interesting to hear the different perspectives on what is acceptable and what is not.