Food Magnets for Kids

I'm an avid Pinterest user (dcmaedel, in case you'd like to follow me!), and like many, I pin way more recipes, crafts, and exercises than I can actually try in my lifetime.  That said, Pinterest is a great way to find inspiration and solve the everyday problems we all face.  For example, how do you teach your children about healthy eating in a way that doesn't leave them either completely tuning you out or running to the neighbor's house for blue box mac'n'cheese (sorry avid blue box eaters - I prefer the kind with real cheese and cream)?  One potential method is using food magnets - pairing pictures and words make it easier for the toddler to communicate and learn, while putting the pairings on magnets turns learning about healthy foods into a fun game.  

I have seen many versions of this idea on Pinterest, varying from simply pairing pictures and words on a magnet, to also including food group and daily serving information so the child can participate in his/her own food planning (that pin is here).  K is a bit young to understand daily serving needs, but using shapes to show food groups is a great way to introduce her to the concept, so my version of the magnet project includes those.  Taking the magnets one step further, I realized my husband and I could also use them as tools to make it easier to select healthy foods for K's meals - so I added serving suggestions and recipes to the back of each card.  The result?  Fun and very informative little magnets that make all our lives easier!

If you'd like to make your own magnets, you are welcome to start with our template, which is available via this link.  The only disclaimer: the pictures on these magnets are from indiscriminate Google searches, and I have not obtained specific rights for their use.  To make the magnets, print out the first two pages of the template, then print out pages three and four on the back side of the same pages.  Next cut out the individual foods, laminate (I used the Purple Cows Laminator), and put magnets on the back.  For the magnets, I used magnet tape, which already has a sticky side and is easy to cut to size. 

K has already started playing with these magnets, and has used them to tell me she wants an apple (or "appy," as she calls it) or blueberries.  She hasn't quite figured out that the magnets are supposed to live on the fridge, so they are starting to appear on metal surfaces throughout the house.  I guess the next lesson will have to be in toddler organization... :o)