It might look exciting: trays filled with colourful spaghetti, bowls of rice to scoop, or flour to “snow” across a tuff tray.
But at Yellow Kite Nursery — a values-led British nursery in Dubai — you won’t see food being used as a sensory resource.
That’s not because we’re trying to be different for the sake of it. It’s because we believe in creating environments that are respectful, sustainable, and aligned with how children actually learn.
Let’s talk about why we’ve chosen to move away from food-based sensory trays — and what we offer children instead.
Sensory Play Is Essential — But It Doesn’t Have to Include Food
We’re huge advocates of sensory play.
- It helps build neural pathways
- It supports emotional regulation
- It encourages language development
- It helps children explore cause and effect, textures, volume and more
But sensory play is not about the things — it’s about the experience.
We don’t need to rely on cooked pasta, jelly, or dry lentils to offer sensory exploration.
Why This British Nursery in Dubai Says No to Food in Play
Here’s what informed our decision to step away from food-based play:
1. Food Waste
In a world where families go hungry, using food as a toy doesn’t sit comfortably with us. When entire bags of rice or cereal are dumped into trays for one morning’s play, it sends a message — often unconsciously — that food is disposable.
We want children to learn that food is valuable, important, and never wasted.
2. Food Safety
Using food in play can blur the line between what’s edible and what’s not.
- Young children often mouth materials — this can confuse or even lead to unsafe habits
- It encourages consumption of dirty or floor-covered items
- It may introduce allergens or bacteria into shared spaces
We prioritise hygiene and clarity, especially in a mixed-age setting.
3. Respect for Cultural and Family Values
For many families, food has deep cultural, religious, and emotional meaning. Watching it be played with, crushed, or thrown away can be upsetting — and rightly so.
We want every family in our community to feel respected and represented in our choices.
4. Teaching the Wrong Message
We’re constantly teaching through modelling. When we say “don’t play with your food” at lunch, but scoop cold porridge into a tray an hour later, it’s confusing. We believe our environments should match the messages we give children.
The Curiosity Approach encourages educators to be intentional, sustainable, and respectful in their practice.
It asks us to reflect:
- Why are we offering this?
- Is this meaningful? Is it respectful to the child and the world they live in?
By removing food from play, we’re embracing:
- Purposeful, open-ended resources
- Real-life learning
- Thoughtful invitations to play
- Environments that reflect the values we hold as a setting
What We Offer Instead
Here are some of the sensory-rich, food-free alternatives we use every day:
Natural loose parts
- Pinecones
- Shells
- Dried leaves
- Pebbles
- Sticks and seedpods
Reclaimed materials
- Shredded paper
- Cardboard tubes
- Fabric scraps
- Corks
- Lids and bottle tops
Messy play options
- Mud and sand
- Water with natural herbs or flowers
- Playdough (flour and salt-based, but reused and not edible)
- Clay
- Gloop made with cornflour and water (with permission and reused for days, not eaten)
Real-life experiences
- Washing pebbles in soapy water
- Transferring lentils into jars (later cooked and eaten, not discarded)
- Gardening and composting
These experiences still offer:
- Texture
- Sound
- Movement
- Fine motor development
- Imagination and story-building
…without unnecessary waste.
How Children Respond
We’re often asked: “But don’t children love playing with food?”
The truth is, children love engagement. They love freedom. They love materials they can explore.
They don’t need rainbow rice to feel curious. They need spaces that let them lead their play, use their hands, follow their ideas, and feel respected in the process.
When given rich, open-ended materials, children explore just as deeply — often even more meaningfully — than when handed a tray of mashed banana.
Changing Our Thinking
We know this can be a shift in mindset.
Many of us were trained or worked in environments where food trays were the norm. Pinterest and Instagram are full of beautiful spaghetti trays and cereal scoops.
But here’s what we’ve found in making the change:
- Less cleaning
- Less confusion
- More purpose
- More curiosity
- Happier families
- A more aligned approach with our values
Once you step away from food-based play, you realise how little it was needed.
Practical Tips If You Want to Make the Switch
If you’re a setting or a parent looking to rethink food in play, here are some helpful steps:
1. Reflect on your current practice
- How often are you using food?
- What message does it send?
- Could you replace it with something more sustainable?
2. Talk to your team and families
- Share the reasons behind the change
- Invite feedback — many families will deeply appreciate the shift
3. Reimagine your resources
- Visit nature or your local charity shop
- Collect items together with the children
- Make your sensory trays part of real-life experiences (washing socks, sorting buttons, etc.)
4. Keep messy play alive — without the waste
- Offer mud kitchens, water play, and sand trays
- Create dough stations, paint mixing, or leaf printing
Sensory doesn’t have to mean edible
Final Thoughts: A British Nursery in Dubai Rooted in Respect
We’re not against sensory play.
We’re for intentional sensory play.
At Yellow Kite Nursery, every resource we offer has a purpose. We want children to explore the world in a way that is respectful, responsible, and rooted in real experiences.
That’s why we’ve stepped away from using food in trays and started saying yes to:
- Sustainability
- Thoughtfulness
- Cultural respect
- Authentic sensory learning
As a British nursery in Dubai, we are proud to lead with practices that honour children, families, and the wider world we live in.
Want to Know More or Need Support?
If you’re a parent or educator looking to shift away from food in sensory play but don’t know where to start, we’d love to help. Reach out to our team or explore our free resources. This is about progress, not perfection.
Let’s raise children who value the world around them. It starts with what we place in front of them.