Picky eating is a common challenge for many families, but what if the key to overcoming it does not start at the dinner table? Sensory play, especially when food is involved, can be a powerful, low-pressure tool to help children become more adventurous eaters. We spoke with Mariah Reil, a registered dietitian at Sanford Health, to learn how sensory play can support healthy eating habits, reduce food aversions, and make mealtimes more enjoyable for everyone.
Why Do Kids Become Picky Eaters?
There is no single cause for picky eating. According to Mariah, several factors can play a role. “There are some things that are risk factors for picky eating to develop. These risk factors can include medical issues, neurodevelopmental differences, negative mealtime experiences, and a lack of exposure to textures, flavors or chewing practice during the introduction of solids and early eating experiences,” she explains. Some of these things are sensory related, including both sensory sensitivities as well as lack of exposure to different textures, which can make trying new foods difficult for a child. This is why sensory-related food aversions are a big piece of the puzzle, and where sensory play becomes especially helpful.
How Sensory Play Helps Picky Eaters
“The eating experience is a sensory experience!” says Mariah. From texture and temperature to smell and color, children process many sensations with every bite. If they are sensitive to even one of those senses, mealtime can become stressful. “Much like practicing helps us get better at other skills, practicing with sensory play outside of mealtimes can help your child become more confident and adventurous at the table,” Mariah explains. This can also be helpful for children who might feel pressured to eat or try food at the table. She adds, “If sensory play is during playtime versus mealtime, pressure and expectations may be lifted for the child and therefore they may be more likely to engage.”
The Key Is Low-Pressure Exploration
It is common for caregivers to encourage kids to eat, especially when they are worried about nutrition. But sometimes this well-meaning approach can feel like pressure to a child. Focusing instead on building trust and curiosity around food can help reduce resistance and create more positive mealtime experiences. “Encouraging sensory exploration at the dinner table should be established as such – an exploration! The child should understand that they do not have to taste or eat the food if they’re not yet ready,” advises Mariah. She explains that adding pressure can make picky eating worse, rather than better. To create a more positive and effective experience, she recommends making food exploration fun and inviting. Let your child take the lead. Ask rather than tell and always move at their pace. “Leaps and bounds may not be achieved in one sitting with a new food, but over time this approach can help a child feel confident to try new foods when they’re ready,” she adds. “Remember, too, that learning to try a new food can happen slowly. Maybe a child isn’t yet ready to taste the food, but you ask if they’d like to touch it with their fingers and describe what it feels like. Perhaps you ask them if they can describe the colors or shape of the food. These things help take away pressure to eat and help the child build trust in a new food.” Mariah continues.
Sensory Play Activities to Support Adventurous Eating
Incorporating sensory play into your child’s daily routine offers a gentle and enjoyable way to build comfort with unfamiliar textures, smells, and tastes. These hands-on activities create a no-pressure environment where children can explore food in creative ways, helping to reduce anxiety and spark curiosity around mealtime. Mariah recommends these tried-and-true sensory play activities:
- Sensory bins: Sensory bin activities can help children build tolerance to new and different textures in a no pressure way. Try filling a storage bin with both dry and wet ingredients and allow your child to use tools such as plastic cups, kitchen measuring utensils, etc. to measure, scoop or dig.
- Flavor vocabulary-building activities: Children often do not have the words for the taste of foods and may describe new things as ‘yucky’. Activities to help them build vocabulary around different flavors and tastes help them build a neutralized vocabulary and reference point for foods. Use a muffin tin and fill it with one or two foods from the following categories: sweet, sour, salty, savory, spicy, bitter. Allow the child to explore, smell or taste even the tiniest bite of food from each category and learn what each flavor profile represents.
Mariah advises, “It’s important to describe this to children as an experiment or exploration, so that they are clear that the expectation is not that they must eat all the food.”
When to Seek Professional Support
It is normal for kids to go through picky phases, but how do you know when it is time to get help? Mariah highlights, “If a child is having a hard time with growth, for example falling off their growth curve, support from the child’s doctor or medical team is necessary. Prior to this point, if the foods a child will ‘accept’ or eat becomes smaller, only includes one or two types of food groups, or impacts their quality of life and functioning, support is needed.” She continues, “If there are entire groups of foods the child is not consuming, like protein foods, professional support could help you and your child! It’s important to know that you and your child can access support at various stages of picky eating, even if you feel it’s not extreme yet.” Support can look different for different families, so talk to your child’s doctor if you have any concerns.
Tips for Safe and Fun Sensory Food Play
Whether you are a caregiver or an educator, the goal is to make food exploration safe, playful, and pressure-free. Mariah recommends, “Make it fun and no pressure by using activities outside of mealtime. Your child needs to know that there is no pressure to taste or eat the meal. Tell your child you are exploring food like a scientist! While the goal is eventually that the child will carry these skills and new knowledge to meals, allow these activities to be a break from mealtimes and just be fun as your child learns!”
Sensory food play is more than just messy fun – it is a gentle strategy for helping children feel more confident around food. By removing pressure, embracing exploration, and making food feel safe and interesting, we help kids build the skills they need to become happy, healthy eaters. If your child is a picky eater, try integrating some of these sensory play ideas into your weekly routine. And remember, support is always available – reach out to your pediatrician or a registered dietitian if you are unsure about your child’s nutritional needs.
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