By Alexis Teasdale, Crafternoon Co
Getting kids excited about healthy food doesn’t always have to start in the kitchen. Sometimes, it starts with some paper, a pair of scissors or a lump of clay!
By turning fruit and vegetables into craft projects and playful creations, children naturally become more curious about the food they’re eating.
Whether they’re sculpting a tiny strawberry from colourful dough or transforming celery into a cheeky caterpillar, these simple activities encourage creativity while helping little hands build confidence around healthy choices too.
The sneaky skills
Crafting and cooking also develop so many important skills beyond creativity. Children practise fine motor skills while cutting, sculpting and arranging, flex their problem-solving as they design their creations, and build confidence by making independent choices. At the same time, they’re forming positive associations with fresh food, without it ever feeling like a lesson.
Make friends with salad
A fun ‘dry’ activity to start with, is with a paper salad collage. Using green shredded paper as “lettuce” and printed or hand-drawn fruit and vegetable cut-outs, children can build their dream salad on a paper plate. It doesn’t matter whether it’s realistic or completely over-the-top, it’s all about exploring colour, texture and a variety of fresh produce. It’s also a great opportunity to chat about where different fruits and vegetables come from and why eating a rainbow of colours helps keep our bodies healthy. They could even start a shopping list after they finish their salad!
Clay day
For children who love getting a little messy, air-dry clay fruit magnets make a gorgeous keepsake. They can roll, shape and sculpt their favourite fruits like strawberries, oranges, cherries, watermelon slices or avocados before leaving them to dry. Once painted in bright colours and completely dry (the clay will harden), simply glue a magnet strip to the back and display them proudly on the fridge. Every trip to grab a snack becomes a colourful reminder of the healthy foods they know and love!
Real fruity fun
Healthy eating can also become an art project all on its own. Instead of simply serving afternoon tea, get the kiddos to create it first. A bowl of yoghurt becomes a tiny flower garden with strawberry petals and apple stems. Celery sticks transform into wriggly caterpillars with grapes, berries or cucumber slices, while apple rings spread with yoghurt or cream cheese can be decorated with colourful sprinkles, seeds, granola or fresh fruit to create playful “fruit donuts”. These edible masterpieces encourage children to interact with ingredients in a relaxed, pressure-free way. And let’s face it, they’re often much more willing to taste something they’ve created themselves!
The best part is these activities don’t require expensive supplies or complicated preparation. A few supermarket ingredients, some basic craft materials and a little imagination are all it takes to turn an ordinary afternoon into a colourful celebration of healthy eating.
Alexis Teasdale is a craft maker and event stylist, and the founder of Crafternoon Co in Malvern.
86 Duthy Street, Malvern
@thecrafternoon.co
crafternoonco.com.au
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