In the Terms for we offer the option for parents to bring in lunch boxes.
Please bring a bottle of water each day with your child’s name on it, this will be topped up for the children throughout the day.
We are family grouped and sit together as a community for lunch times. Mealtimes are also a time to encourage good social grace and courtesy (manners). For instance, quiet voices used when talking to our friends, using manners such as “thank you, please and you’re welcome”. Staff members encourage mealtimes to be enjoyable by sitting with the children and discussing the food (texture, its taste, which country it is from and so on). Children are encouraged to try all foods but do not have to eat all of their lunch it if they do not wish to.
All children need to be able to feed themselves and will quickly learn this skill at Montessori. We encourage self help skills and the children assist with setting the lunch tables and they also assist with putting scraps into the bin at the end of their meal. If a child has refused to eat anything by the end of lunch, educators will advise the parent that their child has not eaten their lunch. Please do not worry too much if your child has not eaten much for the day, as it is quite a common occurence when they initially start at daycare. Sometimes they don’t eat as much as other times, sometimes they eat more at morning and afternoon tea times than at lunchtimes. We display charts to advise families of daily food consumption.
After lunch time, fresh fruit is offered as part of our dental hygiene practices.
Water is served with every meal and offered at other times during the day. We have bubblers which are located outside and the children are taught to use these, as this is a great skill to have before going to school. All children are encouraged to bring in their own water bottles to the services which are kept in their lockers, please ensure the bottle is clearly labelled with your child’s name.
If your child requires a feeding bottle please give to the staff to store in the fridge. It must be labelled with your child’s name and clear instructions given to the staff as to the time it is to be offered to the child.
Parents are asked to send one piece of fruit a day with their child.
At Montessori @ North Strathfield we regularly practice Munch and Move, Department of Health program that promotes healthy eating with regular and routine exercises. The children will talk and discuss about everyday and sometimes foods.
