Location: indoor or outdoor

Materials: snack, serving utensils, pitcher for liquids

One approach to snack time borrowed from the Montessori philosophy is to allow children the independence to choose to eat snack when they are ready. Rather than all children being called to snack at the same time, snack becomes a window of time where food is available. With a self-serve approach, children will be notified when snack is available and then it will be up to them to pause their play to eat snack.

This approach to snack allows kids to practice their self-regulation during meal time. An important aspect to self-serve snack is allowing children to help themselves to seconds. This gives children a chance to practice getting in touch with the feeling of being full. If adults are constantly regulating children's food intake, they never have the chance to learn for themselves when they feel full or when they still want a little bit more to eat.

Provide children chances to have ownership over their food and bodies, so that they become more conscious and healthy eaters in the long run.