The District 54 Feeding Field Leaders have generated the following collection of digital and printable resources and activities that you may choose to use with your child. These pages are meant to help support and maintain feeding and swallowing skills at home. Please follow the recommendations from your child’s therapist. If you have any questions about any of the resources, please reach out to your child’s SLP. The Speech and Language Department is here to help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

General Strategies for Mealtimes

Activities and resources for children in preschool through eighth grade to continue development with their feeding skills.

• Mealtime Schedule – general mealtime schedule for toddlers

• Get Permission Approach 10 Principles - “Get Permission Approach” is a philosophy of approaching mealtimes created by Marsha Dunn Klein. Consider which principles you could incorporate into your family mealtimes.

• Top 8 Mealtime Strategies - A presentation by feeding field leaders to staff and parents

• How To Not Say Eat Another Bite - list of ideas and ways to encourage your child to try or eat foods

Placemats
Placemats are often used in your child’s classroom to help as a visual reminder for using good eating behaviors. They can be printed and made water resistant using contact paper, clear tape covering the page, page protector, laminated, etc.

• Hierarchy Placemat Visual Support- use as a placemat during mealtimes to encourage progression of food interactions

• Overstuffing and Pocketing Placemat- use for children that put too much food in their mouth and need a visual schedule

• Overstuffing and Pocketing Placemat Simple - use for children who might need fewer pictures or directions

Oral Motor Difficulties

Oral motor difficulties may hinder the way a child eats or swallows food.

• General Oral Motor Sensory Prep - oral preparation activities to assist in alerting the mouth before mealtimes

• Signs of Aspiration - signs of aspiration with safe mealtime precautions

• Matching Foods with Skills - food textures paired with appropriate oral motor skill with food suggestions

Sensory/Picky Eaters

Children may have a disorganized sensory system that affects the way they interact with and eat food. Below are supports that may help promote feeding skills within the home.

• Anxious Eaters Anxious Mealtimes - general information to help identify and understand if your child is an anxious eater

• New Ways To Try New Foods - Marsha Dunn Klein is a leading feeding therapist in the field. Listen to an adorable student explain how she has taught him to learn about food

• Melanie Potock Youtube Channel - Melanie Potock is a leading feeding therapist in the field and has a youtube channel containing many helpful videos.

  • Keep Foods Underwhelming (video)

  • How to Use the Three E's to Solve Picky Eating (video)

  • What to Say to Help Kids Try New Foods (video)

• Food exposure and exploration - general suggestions for activities to help “play” and learn about food

  • How To Teach Safe Food Exploration

  • Exposure Chart

  • Familiar Stretch

  • Finger Tasting With Crumbs

• Social Stories - social stories are often helpful ways to teach and reinforce skills that are being taught

  • Social Story - I can try new foods

  • My Lips Can Get Wet Social Story

Additional Resources:

• When Children Won't Eat (and how to help)

Compiled By: Melissa Kron & McKayla Ellsworth, MS, CCC-SLP (District 54 Feeding Field Leader)

Resources: getpermissionapproach.com, mymunchbug.com, feedingmatters.org, sosapproachtofeeding.com