Nursery sets up restaurant to teach skills

Jun 15 2009 By Helen Rae, The Journal

PARENTS all want their children to eat right, but often it is not easy to get youngsters to sit down and have a proper meal.

But one North East nursery is doing its bit to educate pre-school children about the importance of eating at a dining table in order to maintain a healthy diet and enhance their social skills.

Kids 1st in Wansbeck, Northumberland, has set up its own dining room with all the trimmings of a top-class restaurant, including posh napkins and tablecloths.

It is thought not many nurseries in the region have their own dining room.

Allison Winship, head of childcare said: "We feel it’s important to recreate family values and mealtimes are a key part of that. In today’s society children go to a lot of fast food restaurants, or have takeaways, and perhaps they’re more used to finger foods than sit-down meals.

"By having table values at the nursery, with a proper service, it is educating them to sit and eat their food properly – as well as encouraging them to eat a variety of different things.

"Another element is it’s really positive in helping develop social skills and we have staff who sit with the youngsters to encourage a friendly atmosphere."