Why This Course Matters
Meal and snack times are about far more than simply eating. They are valuable opportunities for children to develop independence, communication skills, confidence, social relationships and positive attitudes towards food.
The experiences children have around food in their early years can have a lasting impact on their wellbeing, learning and relationship with eating. Practitioners play a key role in creating calm, inclusive and enjoyable mealtime environments where every child feels safe, respected and supported.
This practical CPD-accredited course explores how Early Years practitioners can turn everyday meal and snack times into meaningful learning experiences. You’ll discover realistic strategies for encouraging independence, supporting children who are reluctant to try new foods, understanding picky eating and sensory differences, promoting positive conversations, and helping babies and younger children develop confidence at mealtimes.
Whether you work in a nursery, childcare setting or as a childminder, this course will provide practical ideas and approaches that can be implemented immediately to create positive mealtime experiences and support every child’s learning, development and wellbeing.
What You Will Learn
By completing this course, you will gain practical knowledge and recognised CPD that will help you create positive, inclusive and enjoyable meal and snack time experiences within your Early Years setting.
You will learn:
- Why meal and snack times are important for children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
- How to create calm, positive and child-centred mealtime environments.
- Practical ways to encourage children’s independence and self-help skills.
- How to support children to explore new foods without pressure or conflict.
- Positive approaches to managing picky eating and food refusal.
- How sensory differences can affect children’s experiences of food and mealtimes.
- Strategies to encourage communication, social interaction and meaningful conversations during meals.
- How to support babies and younger children at mealtimes in ways that build confidence and independence.
- Practical ideas that can be implemented immediately within nurseries, childcare settings and childminding environments.
- How to create inclusive mealtime experiences that help every child feel safe, respected and valued.
Designed for Early Years Professionals
This course is suitable for anyone working in Early Learning and Childcare settings who wants to develop their understanding of observation, assessment, and planning and how these processes support children’s learning and development.
It is particularly relevant for:
• Early Years practitioners
• Nursery and preschool staff
• Childminders
• Playworkers
• Teaching assistants
• Early Years students and trainees
• Room leaders and managers
The course is designed to support both new and experienced practitioners by providing practical, real-world guidance that can be applied in everyday Early Years practice.
No prior training is required to complete this course.
Interactive and Practical Learning
✔ Short lesson videos with clear, practical guidance
✔ Interactive activities, including matching exercises, drag-and-drop activities, fill-in-the-blanks, highlighting tasks, and knowledge checks
✔ Realistic Early Years examples to support understanding and application
✔ Reflection activities linked to everyday practice
✔ Downloadable resources, including observation templates, assessment guides, planning tools, and reflective practice resources
✔ Final 10-question assessment (80% pass mark)
✔ Instant CPD certificate on successful completion
The course is fully online, mobile-friendly, and self-paced, allowing you to complete your training at a time that suits you.
Throughout the course, the focus remains on practical, relationship-based approaches that can be applied immediately within Early Years settings to help practitioners build secure attachments, support children’s emotional wellbeing, strengthen partnerships with parents and carers, and fulfil the key person role with confidence.
Accreditation and CPD
This course is CPD accredited by The CPD Group and has been awarded 2 CPD Credits.
Upon successful completion of the course and final assessment, learners will receive a CPD certificate that can be used as evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
This course can be used to support:
✔ CPD portfolios
✔ Staff training and development records
✔ Care Inspectorate inspections
✔ Ofsted inspections
✔ Professional development reviews and appraisals
The course includes a final 10-question assessment with an 80% pass mark. Once passed, your certificate will be available for immediate download.
CPD Credit Value: 2 Credits
Approximate Duration: 60–90 Minutes
Create Positive Mealtime Experiences That Last a Lifetime
Positive meal and snack times help children develop far more than healthy eating habits. They build confidence, encourage independence, strengthen communication skills and create a sense of belonging.
Enrol today and strengthen your knowledge, practical skills and professional confidence in supporting children at meal and snack times within Early Years settings.
Develop the skills needed to create calm and inclusive mealtime environments, encourage children to explore food without pressure, support picky eaters and children with sensory differences, promote meaningful conversations, and help every child develop positive relationships with food.
Small changes to everyday practice can make a lasting difference to children’s wellbeing, development and lifelong attitudes towards eating.
