Foods, delicious foods!
Here's What To Do
Show your child pictures of food from different cultures/places.
Invite your child to identify the different foods. For example, show your child a picture of sushi and name and describe it: This is sushi; It’s made with rice, just like we eat, but it also has fish inside.
Now ask your child to share how the foods are similar to the food you eat at home.
Continue with a few more food pictures and focus on what is the same and what is different between those foods and the food your family eats.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Sit in a quiet place facing your child. Take three deep breaths together.
Engage:
- “Let’s look at some delicious things families eat and see how they’re the same or different from what we eat!”
- “If you could try a food like this (show image), what do you think it would taste like?"
Encourage:
- “You noticed so many things. I like how you thought about what our family eats and what other families eat too!”
- “It’s okay if you don't always remember if we have tried this type of food. You’re doing great just by looking and thinking about the different foods!”
Reflect:
- “Which of these foods that we looked at do you think you would like? Why?”
Not quite ready?
Focus on one type of food at a time. Say, “This is a food called a pita. You ate this once at your friend’s house. What do you like to eat with pitas?"
Ready for more?
Try making or tasting a simple food from another culture together.
As your child masters this skill...
They will know that different people eat different foods.