Key learnings of playing with your food! Using ‘Sensory Play’ to understand barriers of eating unfamiliar foods

Abstract

This pilot study and its subsequent larger intervention aimed to explore if ‘Sensory Play,’ a sensory-based educational approach, could enhance nursery school children's (aged 3–5) acceptance of new and sustainable foods over four weeks. Conducted in a Victorian (Australia) nursery, the pilot involved a between-subjects design with 30 children (3–4 years old) divided into three groups, each focusing on a different unfamiliar, sustainable food: tofu, lentils, or parsnip. The larger study also examined the impact of parental education on children's openness to trying these foods. Participants engaged in multisensory ‘Sensory Play’ activities targeting these foods during the intervention. Preliminary results indicated a notable increase in parsnip consumption among its group, with no significant changes in the tofu and lentil groups. This suggests that while sensory-based activities may boost willingness to try certain new vegetables, like parsnips, others like tofu and lentils might need more varied exposure and activities emphasizing sensory differences between raw and cooked states (See Supplementary Table). These insights guided the sensory activities selection for a more extensive ‘Sensory Play’ trial in Victoria, highlighting the potential of sensory education in promoting sustainable food choices among young children.