Last week we spoke to the children about what might end up in their school bags and lunch boxes next year. They were so excited during the conversation it prompted us to organise a version of school lunch.
Through the week many of our friends brought in a lunch box, and today we sat and made sandwiches. We chose from vegemite, cheese spread (cheesy butter), strawberry jam, or cheese. Some children made interesting choices.
I would love to know what strawberry jam and vegemite were like; by the look on some of the children’s faces, it won’t be on the menu again. We got a piece of fruit, a cookie made by Tootie, and added the sandwich to our boxes, which went into our bags.
At lunch time, we all sat in a big circle, collected the lunch boxes, and chowed down. The children were so animated, and even the younger children got really into the atmosphere.
All the children were seated in a circle initially but broke off to make littler circles of friends to be able to chat to each other. After we had eaten, we cleaned up our rubbish, and the big kids helped the littler children to clear their messes too.
Analysis This was so much fun rolled into such an important step for many of the children. The idea of big school can be so scary, new places, new clothes, a new bag sometimes, a new lunchbox. Introducing these familiar things to the children now will give them the support and safety net they may need entering big school.
Making their own lunch is also an important skill to have; choosing ingredients helps children determine preferences, have a sense of autonomy and control, and show the children that maybe a jug of vegemite isn’t the best lunch choice. We will be attempting to recreate this experience each week on a different day to give all the children a chance to be involved and get excited for the big school transition.
