Encourage kids to try new food with this Green Eggs & Ham activity - includes free printables.
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"I am Sam. Sam I am."
I've read Green Eggs & Ham at least a thousand times, but something just dawned on me. I am Sam. And if you've ever struggled with getting your kids to try a new food, you are too.
One of my twins is a very selective eater (I don't like to say "picky eater" because it sounds so negative). Many kids are selective during the toddler and preschool years, and we moms end up sounding just like Sam I Am when we are trying to get them to please just try it one time.
"Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?"
We were re-reading Green Eggs & Ham when I realized that I could use Sam I Am's antics to encourage my boys to try out some new foods. And it worked! No nagging involved - just a fun, interactive way to encourage them to sample something new and to voice their honest opinion on it in a safe, supportive way.
Would You Eat It? A Green Eggs & Ham Activity
This activity is so simple and my kids really loved it. You don't need to have a selective eater to have lots of fun with it - my son who will try anything really enjoyed the process of picking and rating new foods too. This is a great activity for home or the preschool classroom. Here's what you need to play along.
Start with this free printable set - just click the button below to download yours.
FREE
Simply set the placemat and tasting tracker out with an assortment of new foods for your kids. You can tailor this to your kids palate - go simple for your selective eater and be more adventurous for kids who love to try new things!
Then, after reading Green Eggs & Ham (or checking out the interactive Green Eggs & Ham app, which we love), invite your kids to be just like the characters in the book!
Have them place a new food in the center of the placemat. Then ask them, in your most fun Sam I Am voice, "would you eat it?" And when they do, ask if they like it or do not like it. Encourage them to be honest, as the point of this activity is simply the act of tasting and trying something new, and it's totally OK for them to voice their opinion. Record the food and their reaction on the tasting tracker.
If you need some inspiration for food to try, check out this Dr. Seuss inspired cookbook for lots of fun ideas!
Adventurous eaters will likely want to try several foods at once, but your more selective eater may find this activity to be a bit of sensory overload if you do too many foods at one time. I like to use this at mealtimes to encourage my son to just try one new food each day, and we keep our tasting tracker on the refrigerator as reinforcement. It's become a wonderful tool for our family to help expand his palate and bring a lot less stress to our meals.
Want more printables to encourage healthy eating? Check out our favorites here!
More Dr. Seuss Inspired Activities to Try
Check out fun Dr. Seuss inspired activities from my co-hosts of the Virtual Book Club for Kids, and get even more ideas when you join our Facebook group here!
Teach Kids Letters Through Play from Mama Smiles
Green Eggs and Ham Letter Practice from Still Playing School
Alphabet Puzzles from Sea of Knowledge
Horton Hears a Who Listening Activities from JDaniel4’s Mom
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Horton Hears a Who Listening Activities from JDaniel4’s Mom
Dr. Seuss Sensory Play with Kinetic Sand from The Educators’ Spin On It
Lorax Cause and Effect Matching Game from Inspiration Laboratories
Green Eggs and Ham Game: Color Word Egg Sort from Growing Book by Book
Color Mixing Truffula Trees Art Project from School Time Snippets
Color Mixing Truffula Trees Art Project from School Time Snippets
Color My Feelings With My Many Colored Days from Teach Beside Me
Wacky Wednesday Visual Perception Activity from The OT Toolbox
Read Cat in the Hat with DIY Thing Puppets from Preschool Powol Packets
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Ten Apples Up on Top Printable Math Activity from The Moments at Home
Wacky Painting for Kids Inspired by Wacky Wednesday from Toddler Approved