National Weaning Week brought an array of exciting and engaging activities to our nurseries, all designed to help your babies take their first steps into the world of solid foods. Here’s a look at the creative weaning activities we hosted last week, which you can easily replicate at home.
Natural Yoghurt Painting: A Fun Weaning Activity
In the baby room at the Cherry Harbour Nursery, the staff turned weaning into a colourful adventure with natural yoghurt painting. Using spoons and brushes, the babies explored edible paint made from natural yoghurt and blended fruit.
Benefits:
- Sensory Exploration: Introduces babies to different colours, smells, and textures.
- Hand-Eye Coordination: Encourages the use of utensils.
- Independence: Builds confidence in exploring new foods and textures.
The Hungry Caterpillar Activity
Across our baby rooms, the Hungry Caterpillar activity was a big hit. Our nursery staff read the beloved story to the children, complete with props and visuals. The babies not only enjoyed the narrative but also got a chance to taste the foods mentioned in the story.
Benefits:
- Encourages babies to try foods they may not have encountered before.
- Promotes Vocabulary: Engages early listening skills and introduces new words.
- Social Interaction: Helps build secure relationships with adults and peers.
- Learning Through Play: Fosters natural curiosity and acceptance of new foods.
Cookery Club at Carshalton Nursery School
The weekly cookery sessions at the Carshalton Nursery School are always a favourite. Last week, their little chefs explored different fruits and made refreshing fruit lollies.
Benefits:
- Hand-Eye Coordination: Babies practiced transferring fruits from a bowl to moulds.
- Social Skills: They enjoyed the process and the treats together, promoting social interaction.
Weaning Week: Exploring New Foods
The babies gathered in a small group to explore a variety of fruits and vegetables. The nursery teams cut the fruits to release their citrus aromas, which the babies eagerly smelled. Throughout the activity, the babies smiled and cooed, expressing their delight by giggling and interacting with their caregivers. Singing songs together encouraged the babies to move, tap, and shake a coconut to hear the milk inside.
Benefits:
- Sensory Exploration: Introduced babies to new fruits and vegetables they may not have seen, tasted, or touched before.
- Confidence Building: Encouraged independent exploration to build confidence.
- Social Interaction: Fostered sharing and interaction with peers.
Mental Health Awareness Sensory Tray
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, the Footsteps Atherstone Nursery created a green-themed sensory tray. Babies used spoons and containers to scoop and pour green rice, discovering new textures.
The babies listened intently to the sound of the rice as it hit the tray. They giggled at the soothing noise and babbled excitedly, thoroughly enjoying the sensory experience.
Benefits:
- Fine Motor Skills: Enhances hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Sensory Play: Provides a calming and engaging sensory experience.
- Language Development: Introduces simple words like “green” and “scoop.”
Launch of Our New Nursery Menu
Last week, we were thrilled to introduce our new nursery menu, and the babies absolutely loved trying the delicious new dishes prepared by our talented chefs across all our nurseries.
One of our parents shared some wonderful photos from their weaning journey, describing the first photo as “Al Fresco” dining. They mentioned how this journey has positively impacted their own diet at home.
For more insights and to see the full menu, read Introducing our new nursery menu.
How Do I Know If My Baby Is Ready for Weaning?
There are three key indicators that your baby may be ready to start weaning:
- Steady Sitting: Can your baby sit up and hold their head steady? This ability is crucial for safe swallowing.
- Coordination: Are they showing coordination between their eyes, hands, and mouth? This skill is essential for self-feeding.
- Swallowing: Can they swallow food instead of spitting it out? Mastering swallowing takes practice.
You may also notice your baby taking an interest in your meals and trying to reach for your food. Babies often learn by imitation, so family mealtimes are a great opportunity to instil healthy eating habits.
Introducing solid foods is a significant milestone in your baby’s development, and our weaning policy, grounded in NHS guidelines, ensures a smooth and supportive transition.
The parental agreement ensures collaboration, with an emphasis on informed decision-making, monitoring reactions, maintaining food safety, and allowing for each baby’s unique pace.
What Foods Should I Introduce During Weaning?
Start with simple, single-flavour foods such as baby rice mixed with their usual milk, or puréed fruits and vegetables. As their palate develops, gradually introduce a variety of flavours and textures. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
- Begin with single ingredients.
- Gradually combine different foods to introduce new tastes.
- Experiment with different textures as your baby gets comfortable.
- Eventually, transition your baby to eating the same meals as the rest of the family
We invite you to try these activities at home and share your experiences with us. Together, we can make weaning an exciting and enjoyable journey for your baby!