Make Mealtime Fun Small children explore the world by interacting with their immediate environment. Often what they are trying to understand ends up in their mouths. Keeping this in mind, you can do yourself a favor, and your children too, by placing age-appropriate foods in front of them and letting them be kids. Things might get messy, but your kids also might enjoy tasting what you put in front of them. As they get a bit older your children will come to appreciate food as something to explore, enjoy, and share with others. Compare the smells and tastes of different types of foods. Discuss what gives foods their color and ask your kids whether they appreciate the texture of the foods they are trying. Kids love successfully completing tasks! Give them simple chores that they will be able to accomplish, such as setting and clearing the table. This tip brings up another of the four Ps: positivity. Make mealtime a positive experience. Praise your kids for their help. And now that you are teaching them healthy eating habits, you can also teach them polite eating habits. Teach them table manners such as saying "please" and "thank you," chewing with their mouths closed, and talking only with an empty mouth. These habits will make mealtime more pleasant for everyone. Make mealtime family time. This means no TV, phone calls, or other distractions. Use your dedicated mealtime to talk to your kids and get to know them better.