Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC
  • Unit 5 Home Page
    • About Us
    • About the Trainers
    • Blog
    • CDA Credentialing Process
    • CDA Success Stories
    • CDA Course Synopses
    • What is a CDA?
  • Enroll Now
  • Student Log-In
  • Contact Us
  • Virtual Classroom
    • Unit 1
    • Unit 2
    • Unit 3
    • Unit 4
    • Unit 5
    • Unit 6
    • Unit 7
    • Unit 8
Sentry Page Protection
Please Wait...
Unit 5 Student Login  Unit 5 Student Login Hi, (First Name) Member Area | Log Out
Unit 5 Student Login
Welcome, (First Name)!

Forgot? Show
Log In
Enter Member Area
(Message automatically replaces this text)
OK
My Profile Log Out
(Unit 5) Topic 4: Early Childhood Classroom Schedules and Routines
2 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Lunch or Mealtime

​Topic 4 Page 12

​Mealtimes are a fantastic opportunity for community building and social development, as well as routine support. First, meals are imperative to good health and eating habits for children of all ages. Next, this period of the day can support social development for children by allowing some relaxed time for communication as well as peer and teacher interactions. 
​Having family style meal times can support this social development and interaction as well as build a sense of community within the program. Family style meals are when children and teachers are seated around the same table, or tables, interacting, conversing and getting to know one another. Keeping mealtimes scheduled as usual and making them enjoyable encourage children to trust their caregivers as their basic needs are being met.
​Mealtimes are also building blocks to teaching independence. Older infants and toddlers can use mealtimes as opportunities to develop independence in developing self-feeding skills. Older toddlers can assist in clean up and mealtime preparations as can preschool children. School-agers enjoy mealtimes as a social period but can be relied upon to help with mealtime preparation, clean up and pre-mealtime handwashing. Practicing these skills as part of the regular classroom routine helps to teach children these valuable skills by repetition and repeated exposure.
Mealtime routines also cater to fine motor skill development, healthy food choices, and positive eating habits. Eventually these skills will become mastered and lead to self-sufficiency and healthy choices that come automatically. 

Video: YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties Child Care - HEPA Family Style Meal Time
Source: YMCA Cass Clay
​Length: 4:13

Click here to view this video on YouTube

Click here to report problems with this video.


Picture
Picture
(Unit 5) Topic 4: Early Childhood Classroom Schedules & Routines * Navigation Menu
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Successful Solutions Training in Child Development
Address: PO Box 727, Burley, WA 98322-0727  * www.mycdaclass.com
Copyright 2017.  Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC.  * All Rights Reserved. Updated JULY 1, 2017


Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC BBB Business Review

Enrollment Hours

Monday - Friday          7  am – 8  pm 
Saturday & Sunday     9  am – 8  pm
Holidays                       9  am – 8  pm

Telephone

(360) 602-0960 

Email

info@mycdaclass.com
Registrations that are submitted after enrollment hours will be processed the next morning.  You will receive an email with your log-in information to access the course within an hour after we open the next business day.
  • Unit 5 Home Page
    • About Us
    • About the Trainers
    • Blog
    • CDA Credentialing Process
    • CDA Success Stories
    • CDA Course Synopses
    • What is a CDA?
  • Enroll Now
  • Student Log-In
  • Contact Us
  • Virtual Classroom
    • Unit 1
    • Unit 2
    • Unit 3
    • Unit 4
    • Unit 5
    • Unit 6
    • Unit 7
    • Unit 8