Bonding with baby during mealtimes

Connecting with your infant during mealtimes

Materials Required

No additional materials required - just you!

Play experience profile

Age:

Babies
Min Playtime

15 - 30 Minutes
Skills

Relationships, Social-Emotional
Energy Level

Routine Times
Messiness Rating
EYLF Outcomes

Learn More

Play Experience Preparation

Prepare a comfortable spot for feeding that allows you and your child to be facing one another.

Experience Steps

Keep a relaxed, open face and make eye-contact with your child - you may smile or even make different faces to your child and watch for their response
Acknowledge and respond to any communication attempts from your child. When you do speak to your child, be sure to pause and allow your child ample time to respond in their own unique way - this creates the back and forth (or serve and return) of conversation

What to talk about, or questions to ask during the experience

Narrate your actions e.g. "Here is your bottle, it is full of warm milk", "
Notice your baby's communication e.g. "You're pushing the spoon away, I think you are finished"
Signs your child is interested in feeding may include an open mouth, leaning towards you, appears excited at the site of food (whether that be breast, bottle or solids)
Signs your child may not be interested in feeding or is finished may include: a firmly closed mouth, turns away, pushes away, appears disinterested

Build on this...

Continue having conversations with your child throughout the day where you pause and wait after you speak to give your child the opportunity to contribute

WHO guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Provide evidence-based public health recommendations for children, adolescents and adults on physical activity. Learn more

Be sure to provide your infant with lots of opportunities for tummy time throughout the day.

EYLF Outcomes
The Early Years Learning Framework has been designed for use by early childhood educators working in partnership with families, children’s first and most influential educators. View PDF

Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing
Children feel safe, secure, and supported
Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

EYLF Principle

Principle 1: Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships. Through a widening network of secure relationships, children develop confidence and feel respected and valued.

EYLF Practice

Practice: Responsiveness to children. Responsive learning relationships are strengthened as educators and children learn together and share decisions, respect and trust. Responsiveness enables educators to respectfully enter children’s play and ongoing projects, stimulate their thinking and enrich their learning.