- Kids always seem to be hungry, and feeding them is a good way to avert low blood sugar grumpiness. Our Read-Alouds take place in the evening, a prime tummy-rumbling time of day. Some teams even provide snacks at the beginning of their Read-Aloud to settle the kids and quiet growling tummies. Volunteers pass out the snack and start reading to the kids as they nibble.
- Cooking with the kids allows for hands-on fun, so assembling a snack can sometimes serve as your activity.
- Snacks related to your Read-Aloud theme can add an extra-special dimension to the experience.
How?
- Be sure to make sure your site allows you to serve a snack. Check with site staff before bringing food to a Read-Aloud. Also ask about rules regarding where food may be served. Some sites allow kids to eat at the Read-Aloud, but they may not allow food to be removed from that room.
- Ask site staff about food allergies and sensitivites, and just to be sure, avoid nuts of all kinds and anything sesame. (Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.)
- Never use snacks as a behavior management tool -- do not offer it as a bribe or withhold it as punishment. Many of the kids we serve may have experienced anxiety about not having enough to eat. If you bring a snack, everyone at the Read-Aloud gets to enjoy it.
- Try to make snacks healthy as well as fun. Keep in mind that our Read-Alouds happen either right before or right after dinner.
- Many sites have access to a sink and sometimes a microwave. You can also bring an electric skillet or kettle, toaster oven, popcorn maker or electric grill with you.
- Clean up very carefully after yourselves.
What?
Snacks don't have to be related to the Read-Aloud, but it sure is fun when they are! Here are some ideas from your fellow volunteers and TRC staff:
Snacks don't have to be related to the Read-Aloud, but it sure is fun when they are! Here are some ideas from your fellow volunteers and TRC staff:
- Fruit kabobs for a caterpillar theme (thread grapes, melon balls and berries on a skewer or piece of uncooked spaghetti to make a caterpillar). Other caterpillar examples can be found here.
- English muffin pizzas for a pizza theme
- Ants on a log (celery, raisins and sunflower seed butter or cream cheese) for a picnic or bug theme
- Bird-seed trail mix for a bird theme (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, cheerios)
- Fruits and veggies of many different colors for a rainbow theme
- Air-popped popcorn for a popcorn, native American or movie Read-Aloud (TRC has an air popper you can borrow)
- Pretzels as the in-flight snack for a flying or travel Read-Aloud
- Cocoa and ginger bread for winter themes
- Sugar snap peas, sprouts or hard boiled eggs for spring themes
- Fruit smoothies for summertime themes
- Apples and pumpkin seeds for fall themes
To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.
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