Inc. All Rights Reserved Photos by PhotoDisc Child Care News Eating lunch with other children is a fun, learning social time. It's an opportunity for conversation between peers in a controlled setting.
Children can talk about their activities of the day or anything that comes to their inventive minds.
Because they are sitting near each other and engaged in an activity they enjoy and want to do, children are more able to talk and take turns listening. A shy child may find it easier to participate in the conversation because it is calmer and more structured than some other social settings during the day. Mealtime can also be an opportunity for learning. The teacher can direct the conversation to discuss many things such as a current theme of study or a recent field trip. If the class is focusing on animals, the teacher may ask the children about an animal they've seen at home or on the playground or in a book.