This month, the infants at RisingOaks | St. Patrick have been showing a growing interest in different foods. Logan and Zendaya have been repeating the word “apple,” with new words beginning to show up in their vocabulary. Audrey and Leo have been enjoying our pretend kitchen, placing our soft toy foods into pots and exploring pretend cooking. Around the centre, the infants also had the opportunity to observe the Preschool lemonade stand. Since we have been exploring different fruits through tasting experiences, Tai decided to introduce oranges and invite the infants to make fresh orange juice together.

Tai first showed the infants a citrus squeezer, giving them time to investigate the new object. Henry was especially interested in the squeezer, using his index finger to explore the small holes. The infants also enjoyed opening and closing the squeezer and discovering how it worked. 

Tai then placed a piece of orange into the squeezer and invited each infant to participate in squeezing the orange, modelling as needed. As the infants participated, Tai observed different expressions that showed their engagement and concentration. Logan looked curious, carefully watching his friends and patiently waiting for his turn. Leighton made an expression that showed strength and concentration as she squeezed the orange. Henry let out an excited squeal when he saw the orange juice dripping into the pitcher!

During the afternoon snack, the infants had the opportunity to taste the juice they had helped make earlier. Most of the infants really enjoyed it! Leo, Zendaya, and Audrey even used the sign for “more” to communicate that they wanted another taste.

Through these experiences, the infants were able to explore food using their senses, develop language skills, practice fine-motor skills, and build confidence through hands-on exploration. They also had opportunities to practice turn-taking, observe their peers and participate in a shared experience. Better than that, the experience allowed the infants to connect their growing interest in food and language with an engaging real-life experience.