Helping children develop the skills they need for successful feeding can be both fun and engaging! Whether your child is struggling with transitioning to solids, experiencing sensory aversions, or needing to strengthen their oral motor skills, these feeding therapy activities provide practical and enjoyable ways to support their development.

1. Biting Down on a Chewy Tube

Encourage your child to bite down on a chewy tube on both the left and right sides of their mouth, mimicking your actions. This activity helps strengthen the jaw muscles and is particularly useful as a transition tool for children who are still relying on bottles when they are developmentally ready to start chewing solids. The oral input from the chewy tube can also serve as a great redirection strategy for children seeking oral sensory input.

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2. Mirror Play for Oral Motor Skills

Mirror play is an excellent way to enhance a child’s oral motor control. Have your child:

• Practice sticking out their tongue forward, left, and right.
• Blow bubbles in front of the mirror to improve lip rounding and control needed for feeding.
• Make silly faces such as puffing up their cheeks, opening and closing their mouth, and pointing to their mouth and tongue.

These playful exercises support coordination and awareness of the mouth muscles, making eating and drinking easier.

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3. Sensory Food Painting with Condiments

Turn food exploration into an art project! Have your child “paint” using ketchup, pasta sauce, or different jams spread across paper. This activity engages their sense of touch, smell, and—when they’re ready—even taste. Sensory food painting helps reduce food aversions in a low-pressure and fun environment, allowing children to become more comfortable with different textures and smells before attempting to eat them.

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4. Making Pretend Food with Playdough

Not all feeding therapy activities require real food! Playdough food creation is a fantastic way to work on fine motor skills while introducing food-related concepts. For children who are hesitant about being near real food, this activity allows them to interact with food names and descriptions in a playful way. As you mold different foods, describe them with cues such as:

• “Green broccoli”
• “Round and red like a tomato”
• “Yellow bananas are so yummy!”

This type of imaginative play helps children become more comfortable with different food types, making the eventual transition to real foods smoother.

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5. Gross Motor Sensory Play for Regulation

Sometimes, feeding therapy doesn’t involve food at all! Many children need sensory regulation before they can engage in food exploration. Activities that provide movement, such as bouncing on a peanut ball, help children regulate their bodies and emotions. Vestibular movement from the peanut ball can be calming and organizing, making it easier for a child to participate in feeding-related activities afterward.

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These feeding therapy activities help children build the foundational skills necessary for successful eating experiences. By incorporating sensory, motor, and play-based strategies, you can support their feeding journey in a fun and pressure-free way. Try these activities at home or during therapy sessions to encourage curiosity and confidence with food!