Muffin Tin Snacking for Kids

Muffin Tin Snacking has become a favorite in our house – for me as a mom and for my kids!

I take our 12-cup muffin pan – filling each cup with healthy snack options for my kids! On the day I snapped these pictures, it was a fruit party for sure – lots and lots of fruit!

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On other days – in addition to the fruit – I might add nuts, cheese, raisins, etc. Anything goes!

My kids love the variety, and there have been many times when it has helped them feel excited about trying something new – something they maybe would have resisted if presented in a different way.

As you can see, one half of the tray holds the exact same thing as the other half of the tray, and if you’ve hung around here for long, you’re not going to be surprised when I tell you that I like to take an opportunity like this to TEACH!

Lesson #1: SHARING the Pan: “Caleb, you are going to eat from this side of the tray, and Isaac, you’re going to eat from this side of the tray.”

If your kids never argue, fight, or compete with one another, feel free to skip this lesson, but we’re still working on those things here. ha!

Lesson #2: MATH Galore: We talk about things like:

counting to twelve – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
counting to twelve by 2’s – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
half – half of 12 is 6, etc.
addition – 6+6=12
arrays (Read More Here)

and on and on this can go – including both older AND younger kids.

There are few places that gift us with more number experiences than the kitchen! When your kids can SEE math in their day-to-day, THAT’S when it will click…

…and if your crew is anything like ours, we are all about experiencing FOOD. Ha!

Extra Ideas:

Involve your kids in using kid-safe utensils to cut the fruit.
Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (or watch the animated version on YouTube), and eat what the caterpillar eats – as he eats it!
Include snacks that begin with a certain letter of the alphabet: Now I Eat My ABCs has some great ideas!
Use these Farmer’s Market Flashcards from The Littles & Me to take the teaching moments even further!

Happy Snacking, everyone! Muffin Tin Snacking, that is!

Want to read more about our family’s Lifestyle of Homeschooling? Our daily schedule? A look at our week? I would be honored to share with you how we have adopted a lifestyle of living and learning together and how you can do the same with your own family: