Channel Button

There are 21 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #16 by Helium's members.

Parenting & Pregnancy   >

Childhood Development

How to get your picky child to eat

by Diane B

I consider myself very lucky on this one since my children always ate what I placed in front of them. I love to introduce a wide variety of foods so they can decide on their own as to whether they like it or not. Children's tastes always change, so even if two days prior they told me they didn't like whatever it was, I always put it on their plate anyway. They had to try it. Whether they ate it or not was a different story. JThe situation that presented itself to me was when my two older children were not so much picky but had a hard time finishing their meals. I'm not sure how I stumbled across the idea but I tried anything that was suggested to me. What is it that kids enjoy the most? Playing. So I had to turn it into a "fun" thing to do. What I would do is place the child's meal in front of them. Tell them that I would close my eyes and they would have to choose an item from their plate and eat it. I would in turn would have to guess which item they chose to eat. Since I had two children, we had to take turns. They enjoyed it so much that we each took a turn at guessing what it was that the other one ate. I believe I started this when my oldest was around four and today she is nine and she still enjoys playing that game cause now they put a twist on it and add a couple items in their mouthes to see if the other person can figure it out. It worked for me so maybe it will work for you. The other game I would occasionally play was once they had a food on their fork, I would tell them in a jokingly manner "don't eat that" and they would laugh as they were bringing the fork closer to their mouthes and again I would say "no....no don't eat that" they would laugh as they placed it in their mouthes. I would then shake my head and make a silly sound because they did the opposite of what I asked. It was fun.

Learn more about this author, Diane B.
Contact this writer Click here to send author comments or questions.


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

How to get your picky child to eat

  • 1 of 21

    by Joanne Smedley

    Are your mealtimes a constant battle? How DO you get your picky children to eat? Well, the first thing you need... read more

  • 2 of 21

    by Odille Rault

    "I eat my peas with honey. I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on the knife." ... read more

  • 3 of 21

    by Amy Browne

    All little children love smiley faces, finger foods, and having fun so why not try a few of these suggestions for pic... read more

  • 4 of 21

    by yackity yack

    CHILDREN: PICKY EATERS, HOW TO GET THEM TO EAT YUCKY FOODS Here are some tips which I wish someone had given me wh... read more

  • 5 of 21

    by Robin Tidwell

    My daughter was a very picky eater. When she was three, the "airplane" maneuver worked fairly well, but by the time ... read more

View All Articles on:
How to get your picky child to eat

Add your voice

Know something about How to get your picky child to eat?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Should a parent move from parent to friend as children grow older?

Click for your side. Must be logged in.

94043

Featured Partner

The Center for a New American Dream

The Center for a New American Dream has partnered with Helium, giving you the chance to write for a cause. Brows...more

What is Helium? | User Guide | Community | Link to Helium | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA