The past three weeks I’ve offered you lots of information, ideas and suggestions for helping your kids grow an open mind toward healthy foods. One of the most important things is keeping the role of food in your life fun and preventing it from becoming a battleground. With younger kids things like play kitchens, play stores and imaginative games take health and nutrition issues and move them in a more neutral context – playtime. As kids get older though, they outgrow their childhood favorites and then what?
Food-related crafting with your kids is another way to put fun at the forefront. Today I’ve rounded up many different tutorials for you to explore, depending on your child’s age and developmental stage. Some are paper-based (easy for anyone to make!) while some are no-sew fabric projects. Even the projects requiring sewing are for simple beginners, so don’t be afraid to give them a try!
Most fabric stores (such as JoAnn’s) and even small, local fabric shops carry a selection of food-print fabrics. They come in lots of styles from fruits, vegetables, snacks, baked goods, etc. and are fun to have around for cloth napkins, bandanas, tablecloths, etc. They can also make dollie blankets, pillows, covers for forts, etc. Your kids will have fun finding uses for all the various fun prints!
If you can’t find any food-print fabric locally, both of these sources carry an assortment:
Fabric.com: http://bit.ly/1vp2LYq
The Fat Quarter Shop: http://bit.ly/1mBzKDz
And here are several different projects for you, either relating to food and mealtime or projects to do with your food-print fabrics (or any other favorite prints).
Sew an apron:
Simple child’s apron tutorial: http://bit.ly/1nXtNlI
Simple adult’s apron (or could be down-sized for a child): http://bit.ly/1x6OLWc
Make Coasters:
Out of leftover fabric: http://bit.ly/1iOlU60
Out of ceramic tiles: http://bit.ly/1sSjuHD
Make Play Food:
From fabric (minimal sewing): http://bit.ly/1dtpVoN
From paper (video tutorial): http://bit.ly/1sScKcT
Roundup of sewn play food tutorials: http://bit.ly/Tx9lQd
Make a Picnic Blanket:
Easy no-sew waterproof picnic blanket: http://bit.ly/1nXAqV8
Portable picnic blanket tote: http://bit.ly/1lKPvwF
Make a Food-themed Matching Game:
Printable games: http://edcate.co/1z33SSd
Printables by food groups: http://bit.ly/1pFbFUw
And if you’re really feeling ambitious, here’s the food-themed quilt I made my son Caton several years ago. I put fruits and vegetables on the front and snack foods/desserts on the back. It’s a fun and lasting reminder for all of us to keep food fun!
