Nursery World - Table manners

Children know that sharing a meal is about much more than taste and nutrition at a centre that uses the occasion for cross-curricular learning, writes Annette Rawstrone Mealtimes are a relaxed, social affair at the Old Moat Children's Centre in Withington, Manchester. The specially designed dining room, influenced by Reggio Emilia philosophy, is set out with tables and chairs as if in a cosy cafe so that children can enjoy their meals with their friends and key workers in a pleasant environment. There are tablecloths or mats, pot plants and even menu stands with pictures of the day's food, allowing everyone to talk about what they are going to eat.

Mealtimes are a relaxed, social affair at the Old Moat Children's Centre in Withington, Manchester. The specially designed dining room, influenced by Reggio Emilia philosophy, is set out with tables and chairs as if in a cosy cafe so that children can enjoy their meals with their friends and key workers in a pleasant environment. There are tablecloths or mats, pot plants and even menu stands with pictures of the day's food, allowing everyone to talk about what they are going to eat.

Head of centre Gerri Moss says, Mealtime is a time for the children to enjoy their food. It is not just a feeding process but an enjoyable process. Children 'sed to eat lunch in their individual group rooms. The wake-up call for the centre came when parents commented that they never normally cook and eat their meals together with their children at home.

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