Sensory experiments for the kindergarten

Background Children’s food preferences are strongly associated with their consumption patterns. The most important determinant of a child’s liking for a particular food is the extent to which they are familiar with. It is proposed that the earlier and broader the experience with food, the healthier the child’s or – in later life – the adult’s diet.

Project description In a focus group with different experts, a toolkit consisting of a training course for kindergarten staff, a booklet with nutrition and sensory-based information and 55 professionally designed experiment cards, was developed.

Besides classification into food groups (cereals, vegetables, fruits, milk, and dairy products) additional information on which senses will be addressed within an experiment is given directly on the cards. Instructions for implementation in practice were also provided

Evaluation results During two afternoons, 25 female kindergarten teachers completed the training, followed by a field-testing of the experiments and an online survey to evaluate the cards. The participants’ feedback of the training was overall positive, since 95 % of the teachers gave the highest approval for the evaluation. Teachers mentioned good preparation for the experiments’ practical implementation in kindergarten and favoured the appealing design and usability of the materials. An increase of the children’s interest in new foods and food preparation was reported.

Recommendations The combination of the expert-driven development and personal training with sensory experiments is a broader approach and, an enrichment for daily work in kindergarten.

Publication History

Article published online:
26 May 2020