Strawberry Season
Strawberry season is, in actuality, short and sweet. Yet children are often used to having this fruit available throughout the year. A wonderful way to highlight the differences we experience with local produce is to savor these berries (and anything else) in season. In the last few weeks, local strawberries have been available in the Northeast.
Firstly, celebrate these gifts from the garden on a sensory level.
Sensory Appreciation
Note the color, size, shape, weight, texture, fragrance, taste of the berries. Appreciate them. Take your time enjoying them with your child. Put words to your experience:
“I notice that these strawberries are smaller than the ones we find in the grocery store year-round. They have a bright red color and tiny yellow seeds. Each has a small green stem with a few leaves.”
“Let’s feel a strawberry. We want to hold it gently because they are a bit delicate. How does it feel? (Rough or smooth). Can you feel the tiny seeds? How do the leaves feel?”
“Let’s appreciate their scent (waft the scent towards your nose).” Show that the sensory input impacts you in some way. Smile, show interest. “What a sweet smell. It reminds me of…”
“Let’s taste them.” Take your time with a strawberry to appreciate the taste.
Strawberries are also lovely food preparation activity to offer your child.
Preparing Strawberries
What you’ll need:
Strawberries, washed, in a small colander
A flexible cutting mat or wooden cutting board
A huller for removing stems (your child can also remove leaves with their fingers)
A hand-held wavy chopper
A bowl for hulled strawberries
A bowl for chopped strawberries
Hulling:
Select a strawberry and place on the cutting board.
Show your child, with clear, distinct movements, how to use the huller. Try not to add too many words; just highlight movement. Show your child were to place the stem (smaller bowl) and the hulled strawberry (larger bowl). Demonstrate one or two more.
Invite your child to continue with hulling.
When done, have your child empty stems in trash and return to the work space.
Chopping:
Select a hulled strawberry and place on the cutting board.
Show your child, with clear, distinct movements, how to use the chopper. Point out the placement of the supporting hand, so that it is not in the way of the chopping tool. Depending on size of the strawberry, and your child’s skill, you may just want to show how to cut the berry in half. Show your child where to put the chopped strawberry pieces. Demonstrate a few berries.
Invite your child to continue with chopping.
When done, have your child bring items to sink for clean-up - you aren’t eating yet!
When a simple clean-up is complete, you can serve the strawberries for a shared snack, or save to enjoy with family or friends!
Repeat, repeat, repeat!
It is repetition that fosters development.
Enjoy!