Self registering at snack?

[tinkerbell1403]

Afternoon all,

 

So we had our development officer in today and although largely positive, she has made some suggestions for improvements. One of which was our rolling snack bar. She recommended that children self register in for snack so we can monitor who has eaten and who hasn't. My question is, does anyone else have this type of system in place and how is it implemented?

 

TIA

[green hippo]

We do! All the children have a self registration card which is stuck to the door, they take it off and put it into a box before washing their hands and selecting snack. They got the idea of it very quickly!

Green Hippo x

[sunnyday]

Hi - in a word 'no'!

 

But would be very easy to set up - set of names on table nearby - opo yours in a box when you come for snack..........or a velcro board system - simples! :1b

 

opo - hmmmmm - pop even!

Edited February 7, 2013 by sunnyday

[sunnyday]

We do! All the children have a self registration card which is stuck to the door, they take it off and put it into a box before washing their hands and selecting snack. They got the idea of it very quickly!

Green Hippo x

 

Crossed posts there - glad to see we're singing from the sheet - GH

[Guest]

Yes, we do this. I have attached a copy of the snack bowl which is laminated and then displayed with on the radiator using a magnet - you could use velcro though. The system works really well.

Snack bowl.docx

[Inge]

we also did this... but our children put a name card on the table by a seat before going to wash hands so others knew the space was taken and put it in a box when finished.. they do pick up the routine very fast and it helped us know if anyone was regulalry not having snack etc..

Edited February 7, 2013 by Inge

[Guest]

We now use a name card in the same way as Inge. The children find their name, take it to the table, set it in their chosen place and post it in the post box when they have finished. (We started off by getting the children to find their own name and post it in the post box- but some just loved to post and posted as many as they could!)

[finleysmaid]

we have cups and bowls sets on the table with a name label in. When the children want their snack they wash hands and then take out their label and put it in the 'bucket' it is easy to see how and who has had /not had snacks

[Madmum]

We tried self registration for snack without success. Rolling snack means some go several times and some not at all, but in a 3 hour session, it's there if they want it but they won't starve if they choose not to.

My big issue at the moment is a child who wants to eat all morning, uses multiple plates and cups and puts half eaten back with fresh. He is a Jan starter and being assessed as SEN , so working on ways to cope with his snack habits!!

[louby loo]

We used to do it, but not any more.

 

However we do have member of staff in the area- and we find it helps to keep the staff's 'grey matter' working - as they have to remember who has and hasn't been. ::1a ::1a (we like to think we care for out staff in their old-age)

 

xxx

[Guest]

We tried self registration for snack without success. Rolling snack means some go several times and some not at all, but in a 3 hour session, it's there if they want it but they won't starve if they choose not to.

My big issue at the moment is a child who wants to eat all morning, uses multiple plates and cups and puts half eaten back with fresh. He is a Jan starter and being assessed as SEN , so working on ways to cope with his snack habits!!

 

we have same problem as you - charlie!! he needs adult standing by him when there or, if like today, you move away for 30 seconds, you come back to find milk all over table and floor. and we're not allowed to use mops to wipe up milk so have to use paper towels and it takes ages. i try to get him there early, then they can't re-visit as 33 children to get through. they can have as much fruit and drink as they like when they go though. we have colour groups so names are red/yellow/blue and got name and picture on same as self-registrating ones. but self-reg ones get picture taken off as soon as they recognise name. keep pictures on for snack bar though or they take the wrong names and it causes problems. we learnt that the hard way!! we have 3 strips of velcro on wall with names on - they are 3'' by 1'' ish. then they move them and put in bowl and take wipe for hands. not very eco friendly i know but previously a child would go and wash hands and come back to find space gone. putting name by chair a good idea. may try next year. we just try to make it easy. we haven't got much space as it needs to be in 'messy' room due to carpet in other rooms

[Guest]

we do self registration at snack time. all children have their name printed on a picture of a fruit (laminated), this is stuck on a plain board with velcro. They take it off and place it onto the fruit tree (made with lots of hand prints on a different board) . it works well and certainly helps with name recognition. We have name labels on the table at lunch time so as each child comes in with their lunch bag, they can see where they are sitting for that lunch time.

[ChrisAR]

I don't see the point myself. If a child does not want a snack then that's a choice they have made. Why worry about it.

 

With over one million things to think of, organise and monitor in the EYFS then something has to be sacrificed - and assessing who has had snack and who hasn't isn't high on my list of priorities.

[hopeytg]

We have done rolling snack or snack cafe for a long time and found it a real success - it does not disrupt play and gives the children more freedom of choice. All our children make a 'snack mat' - basically we laminate a drawing they have done with their photograph on and they put that on the table to save their place while they

help themselves to snack.

[Guest]

I don't see the point myself. If a child does not want a snack then that's a choice they have made. Why worry about it.

 

With over one million things to think of, organise and monitor in the EYFS then something has to be sacrificed - and assessing who has had snack and who hasn't isn't high on my list of priorities.

 

we don't worry who comes either. just give a warning when it's about to close, so they can come if they want. one girl is here the second it opens, one or two never bother. if they're hungry/thirsty i know they will come. unfortunately no matter what i say our older staff member tries to make them all come as they used to sit for carpet time and waste ages waiting for everyone to finish all their fruit and all their carton of milk before anyone was allowed to get up - whether they liked it or not, unless parents had said not to give milk. and often it was whole lot of up to 45 children together, not even in key groups.

[Guest]

We do but not because i want to check who has ans who hasnt but it is a another way of recognising names and now some of my children are into phonic sounds they like pointing out some of the letters

 

often if the childen have taken snack outside they dont remove their name

[Blondie28143]

We do as well. Again, more of a way to get the children to recognise their names but you also can check those who chose not to whether they have changed their minds before we clear away. Snack runs from 10:15 -11:00.

 

We do offer variety at the snack bar but we do limit. We put laminated numbers in front of each bowl/plate. Example, 2 pieces of apple, 2 pieces of cheese, 1 teaspoon of raisins etc.

We use tea bag tongs / teaspoons so children can collect the food without touching it with their fingers.

 

This helps with number recognition and counting and fine motor skills. They pour their own milk / water and then they wash them up when finished.

 

Lunch pub begins at 12. Snack is just that. A snack.

[louby loo]

 

Lunch pub begins at 12. Snack is just that. A snack.

 

lunch pub???? can I come? pllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaseee.. :lol:

[Blondie28143]

 

 

lunch pub???? can I come? pllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaseee.. :lol:

 

 

Oooooooo, lol lol lol lol!!!!! Blush!!!

 

Darn that auto spell!!!! Or not........... :) not a bad idea!!

[Guest]

We have a snack table that is open for roughly an hour during the session (3 hour session), there is always a member of staff supervising the area, passing a fruit platter round and helping children to pour their drinks (if help is needed). The children wash their hands then come to the table to find their name on a board which they then put into a container before getting their own cup and plate to take to the table. The table seats 6 children and we often have children turning up with washed hands to find that there are no spaces left, meaning they have to wait or go and play and wash their hands again later before returning. I like Inge's idea of getting the children to find their name tag first and put it on the table before washing their hands, it might save a lot of wasted handwashing in our setting! The system works well in our setting, most children choose to have a snack, if they don't come independently staff will ask them if they would like snack and if they don't want any they still need to find their name and put it in the container.

[tinkerbell1403]

Sorry for the late response everyone but I haven't had any notification of all your replies!! Thank you so much for your suggestions. I now have a good starting point to put this into place.

 

I like Linge's idea of registering before hand washing too.

 

We self register first thing in the morning as parents bring children in but have found this to be unsuccessful in recent months as some don't even bother taking their children over to the names, some do it for the children and others just point it out to the children. Very few actually place any value on name recognition with their children!!!

[catma]

We had rolling snack because being a school nursery we didn't have the staff to be indoors and outdoors whilst simultaneously monitoring snacks! so the children did much the same as everyone has described. They also a milk label (name on card and on an elastic band which went around the carton so they could drink some milk and then come back to it if they didn't want it all in one go.