Strawberry Craft for Picky Eaters

Of course strawberries are the most difficult fruits to add to a picky eater’s diet… after all, they’re the world’s most popular fruits! *facepalm*

You may ask, why would strawberries be so difficult to eat? Because strawberries are the only fruit that have their seeds on the outside! And eating seeds can be very confusing for children learning about new foods and textures. Although you may think that the tiny strawberry seeds shouldn’t discourage a child from trying them, just looking at them can stop picky eaters right in their tracks – not to mention trying to eat one!

I developed a feeding strategy called Symbolic Feeding to help these kiddos overcome feeding fears, which includes seeds! This approach incorporates crafts and uses symbolism to help a child be more comfortable with the idea of a certain food, texture or color. I highlight seeds in the crafts I do with kids, especially with those who refuse to eat fruits and vegetables. Having them learn about the edible strawberry seeds during a play activity decreases their anxiety about them and it’s fun too!

Here is a “sweet” strawberry craft that also makes a cute keepsake too! As with all handprint crafts, there is a lot of sensory (and messy) fun for the both of you to enjoy together!

What you Need:

• Paintbrush
• Red paint
• Black paint or marker
• Green paper or marker
• White paper/canvas
• Baby wipes

Instructions:

1. Get all of your materials ready…and close! There’s nothing worse than having a toddler covered in paint when you realize you don’t have wipes handy. Disaster!
2. Using a paintbrush, paint a thin layer of the red paint onto your little one’s hand. Have your toddlers close their fingers together (but not touching).

3. Gently press their hand onto the center of the canvas (or paper). Set aside to dry.
4. Add your strawberry “leaves” and “stem”. I cut mine out of paper but you could easily use a green marker or paint.
5. Use a black marker to add your “seeds”. Make sure your kiddo is really involved in this part of the craft. (Use this opportunity to talk about strawberry seeds, how they feel in your mouth, how small they are etc.) 
6. Consider adding a cute message. I think “sweet” is perfect because it looks adorable, but also describes the taste of the fruit! Score!

I hope this blog enlightened you to understand why strawberries can be a challenge for picky eaters. Let me know if this craft helped your kiddo learn about edible seeds and encouraged them to try a nibble of this delicious fruit! Here’s to wishing this craft makes your day a little sweeter and brightens up your kitchen too!

P.S. If you want to keep your table clean during crafts (especially when there is paint involved), try the ezpz Play Mat! It has several sections to separate different colors of paint and the silicone material helps keep your paper/canvas from slipping. It’s also dishwasher safe. Boom!

Pro-Tip: Do you want your baby or toddler to practice mouthing the texture of a strawberry? Then you are going to love the Strawberry Teether from Innobaby!

Happy Feeding!
xo Ms. Dawn