fruit/food tasting activity

[vicky.flanagan]

I was part of a grouo that helped children with a tasting activity using all cchildrens senses.

I never planed this activity but I have to write an activity plan as if it was me that planned it.

With the activity we had fruit and veg on bowls and we encouraged children to touch , taste, smell, see what they look like and encouraged them to listen to what others thought about the food. We then looked at how they grow i.e under ground on ground etc. and after children made their own food poem and drawn pictures to go along side their food they chose.

and I am stuck on 2 bits
How to make the activity easier
The activity can be made more challenging by for that one I was thinking we could include maths where they are looking at sharing the fruit cutting it into sizes bigger smaller etc and by making halves quaters . But I am not sure what else can make it more challenging also not sure how it can be made easier

[vicky.flanagan]

What else would be included in a risk assessment for the activity aprt from making sure no foods are used that children have allergies to and make sure staff:child ratio is correct

[Kathie]

Could also include size of food pieces due to choking food washed before etc hope this helps

[ray]

You could make it easier by just letting the children say whether they like or dislike the food they taste. Maybe depending on the age have a tick chart for each child.

More challenging: have the children identify the food by touch in a feely bag. Or with eyes covered???

[shells and bells]

Hi,

Last week I did an activity with fruit for an interview activity. Apart from smelling, feeling and tasting, I asked the children to sort in size order, I then asked them to add all the fruit, and then minus certain coloured fruit, (numeracy), we talked about what the climate the fruit needed to grow in, then which countries had this climate ( knowledge and understanding of the world), I then introduced the beginning letter of 3 fruit, A, B and O and asked them to match the fruit with the letter, (literacy). I finished with what was there favourite fruit and we talked about how fruit was different from sweets and crisps, (PHSE).

To extend the activity I had copies of flags relating to different countries that grew the fruit, in the corners of the sheets I had placed the fruit in which it related to, and a small copy of the flag for them to copy.

My plan was as Follows, you can adapt it as you think.:
Activity:
A 15 minutes session exploring, tasting, sizing and discussing fruits. Matching name cards with fruit. Comparing similarities and differences.

Area of Learning :
Problem solving, numeracy, literacy, PHSE. knowledge and understanding of the world, (to extend the activity if time allows).

Resources needed:
Selection of fruit, of different colours and sizes. Cards with fruit names in pt. 72 Black words on a white background to aid visual recognition.

Risk assessment: - Food allergies - None of the children involved has a fruit allergy. School contacted 22nd March 2011, reply received to confirm no allergies 22nd March 2011.

How can this activity be adapted for individual children?

Make sure table or work top is of suitable height to include children in wheelchairs or on crutches, Communication methods according to the needs of the individual child. Different colours for contrast, present activity on plain background, a few objects at a time to aid visual recognition. Make the activity more of a sensory experience (smell, texture) for SEN.

Contingency:
If the activity over runs : Less time on countries that the fruit come from, If children are less interested introduce tasting earlier. If there is time at the end of the session extend questions on likes and dislikes, why do they dislike or like. Speak about other fruit in the basket.



Evaluation:
(to be written in after the activity).

I hope that this is of help. And to let you know, it could'nt have been too bad, I got the job.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by vicky.flanagan

What else would be included in a risk assessment for the activity aprt from making sure no foods are used that children have allergies to and make sure staff:child ratio is correct

Make sure that hygiene is followed through - adults and children wash/dry hands well.
Are you using knives to cut anything? - if so make sure children are properly supervised and perhaps it's best that you don't let them use the sharpest.

Also make sure the boards/surfaces used are cleaned - something that kills bacteria - but make sure it is not a bleach based ones around children.

You could also add that aprons/tabbards are offered (not all children want to wear them) so that food does not soil clothes or scissors/knives go through jumpers etc.

As well as food allergies - if there are any, you can also take into account a child's condition i.e. skin condition/eczema - if you are making/using something that may irritate them.

Some children may not have allergies but due to cultural or religious religions have food preferences - we have both vegetarians and lacto-vegetarians on these grounds. It's surprising what ingredients have egg and especially gelatine.

Also make sure you have assessed the area where you are going to cook etc -is not too close to children are playing so that knives/food etc are not easily assessible to other children.