Teaching Kids About Vegetables

Your kids probably can identify a carrot or potato, but what about bok choy or turnips? With so many of us frequenting farmers markets or gardening during the summer months, we can take advantage of the numerous teachable moments that present. Take time to teach preschool children about vegetables, and make it fun to explore unfamiliar varieties like purple beans or white carrots.

9 Tips to Make Learning About Vegetables Fun

1. Search and Find Game: Choose one new vegetable to teach your kids about each week, then see how many places you find it (grocery store, roadside stands, farmer’s market, grandma’s dinner table, etc)
2. Let Me Try That: Let your kids choose one unfamiliar vegetable to purchase and try. Let the kids clean it, smell it, taste it raw, and then taste it cooked.
3. Shake It Up: Try familiar foods prepared in a new way. Try green beans raw or corn cooked on the grill.
4. Grow and Learn: Give your kids a small portion of the garden to plant their own vegetables, or allow them to plant some seeds in a flower pot. They will get very excited to see the plant grow.
5. Refrigerator Game: Go through your refrigerator and count the number of vegetables. Note the colors, as well as vegetables in other items. Did you know that spinach is used to make this dip? Did you know tomatoes are in this ketchup? Did you know that peppers are in this hot sauce?
6. Explore Herbs: Herbs are a fun way to explore flavors. Smell, taste and cook with different herbs and talk with your kids about their favorites.
7. Make a Rainbow: Create an easy “Rainbow” salad, and try to find a vegetable for every color of the rainbow. Add colored noodles for the full rainbow effect!
8. BLEND Beginnings: Check out our BLEND Beginnings program, games and activities about vegetables aimed at helping young children learn about and enjoy vegetables!
9. Veggie Art: Look at various vegetables and see if your kids can identify or create animals, such as the fun ones in the following video. Enjoy!