Snack Time

[Guest]

How do you do snack time? I have a very big reception class and there is not enough space at the tables for them all to sit. Have tried all on the carpet but milk gets spilt as it is a squash!

Have tried some on carpet, some at tables but that way, when they are done, there is nowhere for them to go or nothing for them to do and so snack time in generally a noisy time.

 

 

How do you do it? Advice please!

[Guest]

We have a continuous snack table now. We used to stop and sit down in key worker groups but EY advisor said too much time was being wasted and it was stopping children from having a long period of time for their self initiated activities. (I wasn't too keen at first but now I can't imagine going back to the old ways! )

[Guest]

We ll sit at tables together, i tred the roling snack thing but chn were just helping themselves to three pieces of fruit and as much milk as pleased. So now we all sit together, better for social skills aswell and it gives me a 5minuter breather ha ha. Its tough to get the tables sorted thouh, i have 26 reception and hate having four tables in my classroom, and 6 chn on each. Lss spillage and i reward the best well mannered table with a trophy at the end of snack.. Seems t work for us

 

Our night mare is tidy up time, so any advive on ho you have conquere this would be very much appreciated

 

 

xxxx

[Guest]

My class all sit on the carpet in a big circle (we have to push a bit of furniture over sometimes). Each child has their own snack mat (laminated A4 with a central photo of them with pictures of fruit/veg as a border). This has worked really well as the mats are put out and they sit there. Most spills/ waste stays on the mats and one person collects all the compost, one the cups, cartons, etc. If there are too many colelctors then drinks spill! I like having them all together so they can practice manners, have a chat with peope they wouldn't normally and take turns with handing out collecting in. It also means whatever is out on the tables we have cna stay there. We don;t have enough seats for the whole class either, and wouldn't want to!

[KST]

we operate a rolling snack bar and I find it works brilliantly. It takes a while to model and fully imbed but only week 2 and my reception class of 30 are nearly there! There are 6 chairs and they know they can only have theirs when there is a chair free. I have their names laminated on pictures of fruit on the wall which they have to take off and place in a basket to show they have had their snack. I do regualr reminders and it runs from 9.30 - 11.30am.

[Guest heleng]

We run an open rolling snack bar that is open as soon as we leave the carpet until 11.15am or so (otherwise they don't eat their lunch) and again 1.30am until 2.30pm. Some of the children eat immediately and some wait until after 11am or in the afternoon. Each ch has a photo with their name on and when they have had their snack they put it in the box. I do try and monitor it as when we have different things some of the children would take 2 or 3 portions. Works well for as us as children can eat when they are hungry.

[Guest ChunkyMan]

We too have a continuous snack table where the children can have their milk in the morning and fruit and water in the afternoon. There is room for 6 children so they are learning to wait for an empty space. They all have a laminated photocard which they take off the wall and place in a bucket when they have had theirs. We monitor it and remind children to visit it. I love it as it gives the children more automony aswell as giving them the opportunity to decide when they want/need food or drink. It also gives them a differnt forum for socialising.

[Guest]

We also have a child led 'milk bar' - a table with a great cow covered plastic cloth on. We have a table next to a wall with two chairs and baskets of fruit and milk as well as cups and water jug. The children have laminated photos of themselves that they stick on the wall once they have had their snack. We are only a class of 21 children so two chairs are manageable for us. Children wait turns and are encouraged to meet their own needs.

There are problems with two children who are not able to accept the limit of having one piece of fruit or milk(there are several issues with these children) - to be honest as long as the other children are not aware of the 'extras' I believe that it is more important for those children to get the extra food. Will have to deal with the fall out once they have settled in and I have a full measure of them.

[mundia]

Snack time is one of those things that has come full circle in our LA. A couple of years ago, rolling snack was more and more popular, now more settings are going back to set snack groups. Im sure there's a piece of research in there somewhere!.

 

Its worth bearing in mind, that children who have poorer language skills, EAL children, and children with hearing difficulties often benefit more from the more structured set snack time as long as there are rich language opportunities, supported by an adult. I think its important to think about what is best for your group of children, and this may even vary from group to group.