My kids may be picky eaters but, thankfully, they do enjoy a decent variety of fruits and vegetables. I am determined that they know where their favorite fruits and vegetables come from and what food looks like before it’s cut up and prepared, so we try to grow a couple of things, u-pick, and visit the farmer’s market when we can.
Farmer’s markets are nice to go to and see the variety of options available, but there can also be lots of people around near roads and parking areas. Plus, let’s face it, kids get bored and want to try to grab things. I try to make it fun for my kids to check out the markets with me and it’s a good excuse to practice a few of their basic skills while giving myself a minute to make my selections or talk to the vendor.
Color Scavenger Hunt
Practice color identification with the fruits and vegetables. For little ones, point out and say the colors and names of the items. For preschoolers, tell them to find something in a specific color. My 4 year old likes to do it in “rainbow” order. For elementary age kids, give them a list of colors and let them write down what the find.
Big and Small
Let kids compare the sizes of fruits and vegetables. Pick an item and ask your child to find something bigger or smaller, longer or shorter, etc. You can even sort or stack of tomatoes, for instance, into small, medium and large. Just be careful about letting little hands do too much handling of anything.
Counting
This is an easy yet useful activity for kids to do. Let little ones pick up the number of carrots you want. Let older children work out the math on the amount you owe. You may want to add a little notebook and pencil to your purse.
Pick a New Food
Seek out a new fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before. Thanks to smart phones, it’s pretty easy to start searching recipes before you even walk away from the table. For older kids, let them do the research or speak with the vendor about how it should be prepared and cooked, and ask for suggestions of what to have with it.
Along those lines, this is also a great opportunity for kids to work on their public speaking and writing skills. Have children ask if they can interview a vendor or two and ask questions about their product or business. On the way home, they can report to you what they learned.
Farmer’s markets are an excellent opportunity to buy local, spend some time outdoors, and connect with the people that grow and produce what we eat. Check out if there is one near you.
What tips do you have for making trips to the farmer’s market enjoyable for everyone?
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