Children Serve Themselves Strategies: Provide Physical & Verbal Assists for Self-ServicePage 7 of 14

Children Serve Themselves: StrategiesPage 7 of 14
TEACH CHILDREN SELF-SERVICE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER MEALS TO IMPROVE SELF-HELP SKILLS.

Before Meals

teacher showing how to set places

Plan effective pre-meal transitions

  • Teach and supervise proper handwashing techniques.
  • Show children how to set the table.
  • Provide placemats labeled with pictures, shapes, and words to provide visual cues to children about where to place items.

During Meals

boy spooning from a large bowl

Teach children to serve themselves by providing them physical and verbal assistance.

Physical Assists

Watch the following video to learn about using physical assists to help children learn to serve themselves.

teacher helping students with utensils

Use hand-over-hand physical prompts to physically support children as they serve themselves

  • Ask the child if you can help them scoop or pour food, so that the child is prepared.
  • Place your hand on top of the child’s hand.
  • Gently guide the child’s hand through the motions of scooping and pouring.

Provide physical support to children as they self-serve.

  • Hold cups or plates steady as children pour and scoop.
  • For example, “I’ll hold your cup while you pour. Holding it keeps it steady so the milk won’t spill.”

Verbal Assists

Watch the following video to learn about using verbal assists to help children learn to serve themselves.

Modeling. Show children how to serve the food and describe what you are doing.

  • When scooping, say:
    • “Hold on to the handle like this. Put the scoop to the bottom of the dish and slowly bring it out. Watch me.”
  • When pouring, say:
    • “Watch me as I pour the milk. I am using both hands. Hold on to the handle, lift the pitcher in the air. Then place the rim of the pitcher on the rim of the cup and slowly tilt the pitcher to pour the milk in your cup.”

Give verbal prompts to teach self-serve skills by saying:

  • “Hold the bowl by the sides. Use both hands.”
  • “Hold your glass by the side.”
  • “Hold plates by the edges. Use both hands.”
  • “Hold serving scoops and spoons by the handle.”
  • “Look at the person you are passing the bowl to or receiving the bowl from.” (This reduces spills and supports social skills.)
  • “Set items down gently.”
boy pouring milk

Children need your support and they need practice.

  • Let children know that it is okay if they spill. You can encourage them to try again in the future by saying, “You tried your best to get the milk in your cup. Let’s get a paper towel to clean up the milk, and then you can try again.”

Celebrate success in self-service

  • Developing self-serving skills provides children with a sense of confidence that is important for success.
  • Verbal encouragement such as saying, “You did it! You scooped the peaches out of the serving bowl and put them on your plate!” can reinforce their efforts to serve themselves.

After Meals

teacher and girl pouring uneaten food into bowl

Plan effective post-meal transitions

  • Show children how to clear the table.
  • Walk with children to place their dirty dishes in a tub or sink. Keep the trash container for food waste and tub for dirty dishes nearby to increase children’s independence and reduce spills.
  • Supervise handwashing.

Question Time

Note: Try answering the questions below. Take your best guess! These will not be graded/scored. It is OK if you do not know the answer.

1. What is self-service?

2. What are some ways you can support children as they are learning to serve themselves?

3.Which of the four strategies listed below do you use frequently with the children in your care? Check all that apply.

4. Which of the four strategies listed below would you like to use more often with the children in your care? Check all that apply.

Way to go! You have completed Objective 2: Identify strategies for implementing self-service at mealtime. You can now move on with the lesson by clicking the "Save and Continue" button below.
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