Why do children play with food?

They are trying to learn as much as they can, as fast as they can. In order to learn, they want to touch it, taste it, smell it, see what it feels like on their hands and their face, see what it looks like on a plate, on the table, on the floor.

A toddler still needs a high level of fat content in his diet (50%) until about 2 years of age to help with the myelination in the development of his brain. Avoid getting your child hooked on sugar early in life. Not only does it create a lifetime of problems, even at this age it makes him hyper and rots his teeth, plus it leads to cognitive and memory deficiencies, and reduces impulse control.

Continue to introduce new foods patiently, without forcing, and model proper eating etiquette. He will naturally follow your lead, but he will still be experimenting with what food feels like, tastes like, looks like when swirled around, and what happens when he throws something on the floor. Don’t get upset – it’s part of the learning process.

With time and patient guidance they will learn what to do with food and what to do with toys, but don’t expect them to know what you know until they have had a chance to learn for themselves.

For more insights into your child’s mind, click here to see your options.