Lunch time

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  • kitkat
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2009
    • 618

    Lunch time

    Just curious:
    How much time do you give/allow the kids (3-5 yr olds) for eating lunch?
    Last edited by kitkat; 05-25-2011, 09:48 AM. Reason: typo
  • newtodaycare22
    Daycare.com Member
    • Apr 2010
    • 673

    #2
    I posted this same question a while ago. =) I officially put 20 minutes in my schedule but it rarely takes any of them that long. Normally it's more like 10 minutes.

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    • Lilbutterflie
      Advanced Daycare.com Member
      • Apr 2010
      • 1359

      #3
      Hee Hee. It depends on the day, but most of the time it takes my group of 3-5 yr olds 15 minutes to eat lunch. A couple of them will take forever if I let them, especially if it's not their favorite lunch. So I'll set the timer for a half hour, and whatever is left gets trashed. They can always make up for it during afternoon snack!

      A little trick I use when they are talking like crazy and not eating:

      The Quiet Game. You say everyone has to be quiet and see who can keep quiet the longest. They absolutely love this game and ask for it everyday during lunch. I say "1...2...3...ssssssshhh." They all finally calm down and eat their lunch; trying to see if they can last the longest without talking. They all throw each other the funniest looks since they are trying to keep from talking. It's so cute. Works every time. ::

      Comment

      • Blackcat31
        • Oct 2010
        • 36124

        #4
        15 minutes of prep time (clean up, handwashing)
        30 minutes to eat/bus their area after eating
        15 minutes to clean up (handwashing, brush teeth, use toilet)

        Seems to be right for us.

        Comment

        • momofboys
          Advanced Daycare Member
          • Dec 2009
          • 2560

          #5
          @ 20-30 minutes give or take a few on either side.

          Comment

          • SilverSabre25
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2010
            • 7585

            #6
            Mine are a bit younger, but I have two that take 10-15 minutes, sometimes less...and one who will take 45 minutes to eat a granola bar at snack time. One more who will sit at the table not touching the food for as long as I let him, which is usually when I get bored of waiting for the pokey one to finish eating. Then I just decide that they are both done and it's away for naps we go. Sooo, 20 minutes, give or take. Usually.
            Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!

            Comment

            • snbauser
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jan 2011
              • 1385

              #7
              20-30 minutes.

              Comment

              • WImom
                Advanced Daycare.com Member
                • Jun 2010
                • 1639

                #8
                11:30-12:40 - lunch prep, time for them to eat (usually 15-20 min.) and potty/wash hands.

                At 12:30 we are done eating though since I also have pokey eaters that will sit there forever if I let them.

                Comment

                • momma2girls
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • Nov 2009
                  • 2283

                  #9
                  When I had 3 older children, some days they would seriously take an hr. to eat, if I allowed it. I gave them like 20-25 min. to eat everything, if not then they would go hungry, if they haven't eaten everything by then.

                  Comment

                  • sharlan
                    Daycare.com Member
                    • May 2011
                    • 6067

                    #10
                    Eating usually takes about 15 - 20 mins. If they haven't eaten by then, I know they're not going to.

                    At that point, I'll tell them that they will not get a snack after nap if they don't eat. If they start eating, fine. If not, I have them toss their plate in the trash and head to the bathroom.

                    Comment

                    • kitkat
                      Senior Member
                      • Jun 2009
                      • 618

                      #11
                      Thanks everyone! I give about 20 minutes to eat. One dcg is really pushing it lately so I've been setting the timer. I just wanted to double check that my time limit was pretty normal. Thanks!

                      Comment

                      • jojosmommy
                        Advanced Daycare.com Member
                        • Jan 2011
                        • 1103

                        #12
                        About 20 min for all of my kids to finish. I have one (autism dx) who will intentionally be slow to try to avoid nap. I started setting an egg timer with 15 min in front of his spot. I think only 1 or 2 times did I actually tell him lunch was over. He now knows if he wants to eat he needs to do it while everyone else is eating. Either way he is taking a nap. I don't even put the timer out but once every two weeks or so if he is having a particularly bad day.

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