WIXLIB

cheeeesy bunny muffins12o snthherby smelly socks!mHerbs are a great way to stimulate little ones’ senses!Play this easy peasy game of smelly socks with dried herbsto help you engage their sense of smell.haregoes!1portions1010prep25Explore all the sniffy whiffy deeelicious smells whilst preparing,cooking munching on these hop’tastic cheesy bunny muffins!1250g self-raising flour3 Crack the egg in.50ml olive oilffsni,ffsniea ta gr un cher’bwe llin gsm ePre-heat oven to 200ºC (180 Fan).2 Sieve the flour into a bowl.1 eggTie the top with string orribbon so the herbs don’tcome out. Then let your littleones have a good sniff!remem ber one typeof herb per sock!ready, steady.bakeingredients2Put a teaspoon of dried orfresh herbs into a fresh pairof baby socks.cook4 Squeeze the pouch olive oil intothe bowl.70g mature cheddar cheese - grated5 Slowly add the milk whilst whisking untilall of the lumps have gone.40g wafer-thin ham6 Stir in the chives, grated cheddar ham.95g semi-skimmed or whole milk7 Place mixture into lightly greased muffincases.1 x Ella’s Kitchen Pumpkin, Broccoli Sweetcorn pouchsmell these!8 Bake in the pre-heated oven for23 minutes.Sprinkle of chopped chivesmint9 Once cool, use vegetables to decoratewith the spinach basil for ears!16tipsIf your little one is over 3 years old, why not teachthem how to crack an egg?yorWhiff the yummy chives by letting little ones rubit in their hands, or if your little one is under12 months, let them sniff from your hands instead.basilsen se’sCl airFor decoration: cherry tomato, spinachor basil leaves, chives, black olive piecesoreganorosemarymixed herbswhy not tryNatural food flavouring (1-2 drops in the sock)like vanilla extract orange.Hide different foods in the socks get toddlersto guess what they are!Play hide seek withyour socks!tin g lin git ’s a nose onatisensaa176 months

ltatiiinyksolovooo elyesstin’ up tumst op p h a t w e d ois wYou can also offer finger foods from 6 months, like cookedveg sticks broccoli trees so your baby can experience newshapes colours.Introducing different shapes colours into a baby’s world is a greatway to get them engaged excited to try new things. When preparingyummy food for your little one, try these quick easy ways to makemealtimes look more interesting!Get your little one lovinga variety of tastes foodsby offering a rainbow offruits veggies!smoootshiny smooth aubergine skin spongy, soft cream fleshon the inside!yumc r u m myraimy , snbowfoodOffer different coloured food inbowls to excite delight the senses.Even if little ones are eating pureedor mashed food, they can stillexplore whole fruits veggies with alltheir senses outside of mealtimes, toget familiar with the colours shapes.zzyfuzhfoodcan look different inside outside. For example, purpleShow how the sameVisit the supermarket,farmers market orgreengrocerswith your little one askthem to find differentcoloured yummy foodsas you go around!As your little one gets older, encourage themto make a picture with their food before theygobble it up! Or do you have a fun plate withpatterns on it which can be part of the picture?Show them the ingredients that you’reusing in recipes let little ones explorethem with their hands before they getchopped mixed in so they can see thejourney to their bowl or high chair!Can they spot thegreen broccoli trees?win t eRemember, sensory play doesn’t have toalways involve food – take a walk outdoors talk about the different parts of natureas the year progresses – springblossom, summer roses, autumnleaves or winter berries!19rspringsu m merautu mnout doo r fu u u n

rainbow cardsWays to play with your rainbow cards:2-3rainbow snapSNAP!2 matchy matchyyearsyearsEncourage your little one to match up fruit veg items you haveat home with the cards.You could even ask them to just match the colour of the cardsto objects around your house too, not just food!For little ones, play a classic game of fruity veggieSNAP match up the different coloured foods!teddy bear picnicAsk your little one to feed their teddiesthe different foods on the cards. Pick up acard, have your little one identify the rightfood from a plate or bowl, to then feed totheir favourite teddy!3e ars memory matchyTry this super fun memory game that’s great with older siblings too!Place 10 pairs of cards facing upwards.Have your little ones look at the different colours, fruits vegetables.Turn the cards over see how many pairs they can find!202e arsy

itiesfoodie fun activcourgetterpillar12 nmoWhy not create some foodie masterpiecestogether with your little one as it’s a fun easy way to engage their senses! Don’tworry if you don’t have all the ingredients,take a peek in your fridge cupboards get creative!avo froggie faceyumhiyamy littlefriend10 mothsnthsmy !10portions10prep40cookFancy an easy cheesy foodie fun activity to keep little fingers busy?Introducing.courgetterpillar! Using just three suuuper simpleingredients you can create this cute creepy crawly at home.10portions25ingredients10cookingredientsmash, mash, mash it up11/2 ripe avocadoA squeeze of lemon juiceA thin slice of ripe pear or kiwi or apple(slice across so it’s an oval shape)– pear/apple needs to be steamedor thinly sliced to avoid choking. Fordecoration: cherry tomato, spinach orbasil leaves, chives, black olive pieceslet’s make11 courgette half peeled(keep the peelings for its little feet)Mash the avocado finely with a squeezeof lemon juice (or lime) Create yourfroggy face with this. Little ones canhelp spread out the avo with the backof a spoon or their hands.40g cream cheese3 Mix cream cheese cheddar together spread a layer over each ofcourgette disc.1 x wooden skewer soaked in water4 Starting with the head – place on theskewer alternating peeled unpeeleddiscs.3 Add 2 slices of cucumber for the eyes then place the halved blueberries overthe cucumber.4 Use the quartered blueberries fornostrils the strawberry slice for themouth.1 blueberry, halved 2 quarters of a blueberry22Chop the end stalk off the courgette peel one half of the courgette (keepthe peel to use as their little feet).2 Cut the courgette into discs – leavingthe rounded end (head) a bit thicker.40g grated cheddar2 Add the slice of pear, apple or kiwi forthe lower part of the face.2 thin slices of cucumberSlice of strawberry for the smileymouth (could also use red pepperor tomato)prep5 Cut circles out for their eyes.’ t waiti c a n b ec o m e atorpillar!cou6 Roast in the oven at 180’C fan for 40minutes cool before gobbling up!ergett7 Remove the skewer for safety reasons.23

more bubbly ideas.bubbly bubbletles activity6 botmFill the bottles so they’re nearly fullwith water.Add some small berries such asblueberries or raspberries (cut in half),or green peas yellow sweetcorn tomake them bright colourful.sthon1Collect some empty plastic bottleswith tight-fitting lids fill them athird with water.23Try putting cooked pasta shapes,grains or beans into the bubblebottles. Let all the ingredients settleat one end of the bottle, then turnthe bottle upside down watch thefood slowly slide to the other end.Add a squirt of washingupliquid give the bottlesa goodshake to make lots ofbubbles!roly polyLet your little one play withthe bottles watch themroll across the floor makingwooshy, noises as they goooo!Try adding a few drops of foodcolouring to the bot tles to makedifferent coloured bubbles.ib lebobb loop 24Remember - all lids must betightly closed to avoid lots lotsof mess! Make sure your littleone is supervised at all times.squiiish !

cuhyotry!furleyefeveg paintingUsing different chopped up fruits veggies for painting is a greatway to get your little one hands on with different foods. Why not givesome of the following ideas a go to unleash your mini Picasso:b umpy!Cut different shapes into potato halves use as a ‘stamp’ tocreate a work of art with coloured paints! Use different foodscut in half to create other shapes, such as carrot, celery,broccoli (cut lengthways makes a tree print!) or strawberry(cut lengthways makes a heart shape!).1-2Did you know that when babies are born they already have a fairly goodsense of touch? Explore a variety of touchy feely sensations, such asstroking, bouncing tickling, as different babies like different things! As wellas scrummy foods, you can experiment with different materials like chiffon,satin velvet or tissue paper. Waft them over your baby’s face, rub themagainst little ones’ cheeks or let them explore materials with their hands.mess is goodWhen it comes to foods, let babies explore with their hands, whetherit’s with pureed or mashed foods, finger foods or whole fruit veg, sothey can see what goes into the deeelicious food you’re making. It mightbe messy but it’s a reeeally important part of their development, so letthem get stuck in!hOr make your own edible paint by blending differentfruit veg such as carrot, broccoli, apple, strawberry orparsnip (mix with a little water or baby’s usual milk untilyou achieve the right consistency).Make fruity faces using different coloured fruits – trysliced kiwi for eyes, halved blueberries for eyebrows,half a strawberry for a nose a slice of mango fora mouth! If your little one is slightly older (2–3yrs),they could even create hair with edible paint.2ye-a3rsu a shsh sqiuq,smasureWhy not use your Smoothie Fruit pouch as paint! Letlittle ones paint ladybird dots or tiger stripes on theirarms, hands cheeks let them rooooaaaar!Try using different shaped cookie cutters tocreate interesting shapes with fruit vegfor your little one to use as paint stamps –such as star shaped potato slices, or heartshaped watermelon!keyisish,textyearsmi26Pssst! Little ones as young as 12m can still give it a try withsofter fruit veg with adult supervision. Use child friendlypaint or edible paint - you could even use purees too!

n o t m u s h ro o mfor me!uresdifferent touchy feely textsquishy squash!As little ones grow up, they recognise different foods by texture.Being able to hold ingredients finger foods is important for theirdevelopment too. Babies toddlers learn from copying those aroundthem, so show them how much fun feeling all the different fruits veggies can be, describing the different textures as you feel them!b u mpy avo c a dofurry kiwikn o bb ly gin gerMake a selection of squishy bags for your little one to exploreby grabbing ziplock freezer bags and popping a range of foodiethings inside for little hands to squish and squash!iTop tip: If your little one is6 months, pop the bag on theirhigh chair or hold it out for yourlittle one to feel. If they’re olderthan 12 months, you wont need tohold the bag, give it to them andlet them explore!Dried or cooked pasta pieces.th peppersm o oi s h y r a sp b e r r ysqup er y b a n a n asliprrrbetry thesey goooeyChopped up spongy mushrooms.Small juicy berries (likeblueberries or raspberries).Yummy veggies like peasor sweetcorn.Mashed potato.rememberUse different textures andmake sure the bags are tightlyclosed, otherwise oooops!What a mess! Don’t let thoselittle fingers get hold ofthe food inside and keep abeady eye on your little onesat all times whilst they’resquishing squashing.no peekin g !sods or objectpping some foh.pootycltrathnoitwWhyvering itcodanlwbos what itinto a cup orfeel and guesavehaeon)let your lit tlefrom 3 years ing! (suitableekpeuthoitwis.28more fun!For little ones eating scrummy finger foods, bring backsome of the items they’ve played with in the squishy bagsat mealtimes and encourage them to touch them again.squelch!

nuodss mo die soundsfoListen to foodie sounds as you cook enjoy eating yourmeal together, making lots of yummmy sounds! Here’ssome top tips fun games you can play:urmycsen courage littleto mimic the diff onesersounds they hear ent!try these p!sizzle!squidge!toastcrrrunchtingtingHave your little one in the kitchen whilstyou’re cooking let them listen to all theyummy noises, like the bubbling of yourveggies boiling, the sizzle of onions frying,the chopping of carrot sticks. How manydifferent sounds can you your little onemake whilst cooking eating at mealtimes?squishhhFrom the bubble of veggies cooking, to the crunch ofthe first mouthful of toast, our sense of hearing reallyadds to the eating experience.raaaa ta tai30peasa tu u u n ep l ay u sttle o n ese y o u r li foo d sivrepusu m b lylw a y sPssst ! A ittle , f la ky o r c r R a w v eg ,rbdrdaih az .or avoa c h o kin g is n ot suit a b le fe’ryehty.rastleaeecot ora rd toli ke c a r r es a s it is t o o hibaby ou n gpipochngLetting your little one hear lots of different sounds is incrediblyimportant to help them develop. We don’t often think that weeat with our ears, but some foodie sounds create excitementfor the yummy food we’re about to eat.Play the drums with veggie sticks!bubblingboilingngilzsiz

suuuper shaker!6 monthsGet your little one giggling groovingwith their own foodie musical instrument!Making your ownGreat for hand-eye coordination! Use theseshakers any time you are singing together.sound shakers is fun easy!Simply recycle plastic bottlesthey all have tight-fitting lids.of different shapes sizes – make sureGrab a handful of dried foods – try lentils, pasta shapes or rice.You could even make a range of shakers with different grains to hearthe sounds they make!For those able to have finger foods, large cookedpasta shapes are great additions to mealtimes having seen them before, little ones may behappier to try them!For babies on mashed foods, exploring little piecesof rice will allow them to recognise it at mealtimes.iOther foods to try couscous, quinoa, dried peas, kidney beans or oats!Pssst! Please check the container is safefor little ones the lid is firmly on, as wedon’t want the rice popping out everywhere!Make sure little ones can’t access thedried foods in the containers as they canbe a choking hazard, always supervise.Tighten up the lids so that the food can’t escape let the noise begin!Help those little ears hear the different kinds of sounds that differentweights of foods make when you give them a shake.tolin!With the larger food items like pasta shapes, allow little fingerstouch them first encourage them to put them into the bottles.r a tt l e‘n rkcoen rhctihe ktts ge’teleeollset ’32sh ab o u n c e!kees!oota a an go tofingersro l l

likngcit aastestamm m m m!Little ones are born with a preference for sweet tastes which gives thema liking for energy-rich breastmilk from the very start. However, it makesit trickier to introduce bitter tasting vegetables like broccoli, green beansor spinach!Research shows babies who are introduced to a variety of single veg, early throughout the weaning journey are more likely to accept grow up eatingveg than those who are given just fruits.metrynew tasty ideasbitter broccoli,cauliflower, cabbage,sprouts, spinachmon, lime,sour orange, leraspberriess,pineapple, plumsweet carrots,apple,peaches, banana,dried fruitumami mushrooms, tomatoes,meats, marmite, soy sauce(be mindful of salt here use justa little amount on the tongue)exciting tastes!Studies show that the more variety of foods babies eat, the moreaccepting they may be of new foods as they get older so offerlittle ones a rainbow of veg fruit eat lots of variety in front ofyour baby so they can learn by your example.Try adding coriander to carrot, cinnamon to sweet potato orpaprika to parsnip to get tiny taste buds tingling.Let your little one poke out their tongue try some citrus fruitslike orange, lemon or lime to see the fun faces they make!Try boiling, steaming, roasting stir frying your veg so yourbaby can experience the different taste of the same food.esTry to include foods from each of the taste categories. Naturallysweet foods like apple or banana are often favoured, while sourfruits like plum or lemon, and bitter veggies like broccoli andgreen beans are an acquired taste.8 -12 ti mbig taste faceBabies can pull all sorts of faceswhen they try a new food evenif they look reeeally disgusted, itdoesn’t mean they won’t accept thefood after a few tries. Make sureyou have cameras at the ready tocapture those first big taste faces.34Was that a yumor an ummm?See our tot tastin gcheat sheet forhints clues fromyour little one!If you keep trying with foods that are disliked at first, up to 8–12times, little ones can still learn to accept them, so don’t give up!iPssst! Rememb er you only neetaste on the tip of the ton d to try a tin ygue at first!35

Cl airgo on !a v o go7 nthsmo2portions15prep5cookExplore the bumpy avocado skin creeeamy smooth flesh inside!Talk to your little one about the brightgreen flesh hard, brown stone.Older little ones can help bysqueezing the Peas, Peas, Peaspouch into the avo mixture sprinkling on the mint.An avolicious minty dip using Ella’s Kitchen Peas Peas Peas!Just right for Little Veg Lovers at lunch time!12 x Ella’s Kitchen Peas, Peas,Peas pouches (or mashed/puréed peas)2 Add the pea pouches mint, mixthrough serve.3 Serve with pitta fingers, toast fingersor cooked veggie sticks like carrot,parsnip, raw cucumber or pepper(for older babies).Handful of fresh minty p ea s y . . .ea sScoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl mash with a fork until smooth.eeshfreoh1 x ripe, medium sized avocadosolet’s get mixingingredientsavo squeezy?iPsssst! Always supervise, make suretexture is right for your little one!Try swapping mint forcoriander or peas forblitzed chickpeas/hummus.36Let little fingers explore the dip toreally experience the texture! Itmay get a little messy but reeeallyhelps to learn to accept a range offoods textures.Let your baby give the minta good sniff so they canexperience the fresh aroma.37tipsget those taste buds tingling!yorminty pea avocado dip!sense’s

ngb oiii4portions10prep20cookA hash is a brilliant way to use up leftover potatoes veggies.We love it for breakfast topped with an egg with a sprinklingof curry powder to make it tingle on the tongue!ingredientslet’s fry away13 x tablespoons sunflower oil,plus extra for cooking eggs500g cooked potatoes, cubed1 x onion, slicedHeat the oil in a large frying pan over amedium heat. Add the potatoes onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring often,until the onion has softened thepotatoes are light golden.Cl airthis yummyreis from the cipefamily cookboeasyok!tipsmspiced brekkie hash-upyor12o snthsense’sexploring those senses!Let your little one explore whole rawveg like potatoes, sprouts onions,using all their senses. Show themhow they look when sliced up so theycan see what’s under the skin orouter leaves.Pop your baby in a high chair whileyou’re cooking so they can hearthe popping sizzling of the fryingpotatoes onion.hallou .ityou’re lookin’s mig for!2 Add the sprouts or cabbage, garlic,halloumi, curry powder cumin, ifusing, stir until combined, then cook for

to join in at the big table, exploring food with all the senses through play in out of mealtimes helps create happy little eaters for life! So, let's have fun as we explore the bumpy, squishy, crunchy munchy, taste tingling wonders of good food. s t s. e , p f d g ! s r w y p e, n , . F e l i c i t y V a ug h a n r e c i p e d ev lo p r r .