Nursery sets up restaurant to teach skills
Jun 15 2009 By Helen Rae, The Journal
Kids 1st Day Nurseries is a family-run business with seven purpose-built nurseries located across the North East. All food is freshly prepared, with locally sourced ingredients.
Mum-of-three Kathryn Stephenson said her sons Nathan, three, and Owen, nine-months, love mealtimes at the nursery because they are able to try different foods with their friends.
The 34-year-old, from Blyth, Northumberland, said: "It’s a brilliant idea to get kids to sit down at a dining table because it helps encourage them to eat properly. At home Nathan would often put up a little struggle at mealtimes but that’s not the case anymore and he’s keen to try new foods – he now even asks for seconds while at the nursery."
Allan Marriott, 40, of Ashington, Northumberland, said his son Jake, three, had developed healthy eating habits because of the nursery’s protocol.
The hospital operating theatre worker said: "As working parents we generally don’t have time to sit down at a table with Jake and eat a meal all together.
"As a result he may have picked up a few bad eating habits. But at nursery he is learning good table manners, which is fantastic. I feel it’s a really positive thing to get all the children sitting at a table together for their meals as it gives them good food etiquette and social skills."
