Campaign for change

We want each + every little one to have a healthy relationship with food, so they can grow up happy and healthy. This starts with eating more fruit + veggies from the start, but we know our little ones across the nation just aren't eating enough!

That's why we're stepping things up to bring sensory food play to little people across the UK. Because we know that when they play + explore fruit + veg using all the senses, they're more likely to try and even learn to love them.

EPL Campaign for Change Desktop
EPL Campaign for Change Mobile

building healthy futures

Our nation's little ones simply don't eat enough fruit + veg to support their health + wellbeing. This has contributed to more than 1 in 4 children in the UK living with overweight or obesity by the time they start primary school, with many carrying diet-related problems into adulthood.

We believe every little one deserves the chance to grow-up happy + healthy but for this to happen, good eating habits, like eating more fruit + veg, need to be introduced and developed from the start. How can we do this?

By supporting early years practitioners and encouraging sensory food play in + outside of mealtimes. This is reeeally important in building healthy habits that can last forever! Got a question? See our sensory food play FAQs.

EPL Campaing for Change Obesity

Our ask to Government

We're calling on government to amend guidelines and provide more support + funding to deliver sensory food play in all early years education settings across the UK.

1

Amend the Early Years Foundation Stage framework

There is currently no guidance on what 'healthy food choices' are or how this should be taught across early years settings for children under 5

2

Support early years practitioners

Provide the Department of Education with approved guidance on how to carry out sensory food play lessons in early years settings to encourage more experiences + exposure with fruit + veg early on

3

Fund sensory food play

Provide funding to support little ones in less affluent areas so they can experience healthy food through sensory play + have greater access to fruit + veg

the power of play

Experts all over the world agree that sensory food play can help develop healthy relationships with food! The evidence shows that introducing sensory food play...

1

Encourages little ones in the early years to try new foods

2

Helps little ones learn more about a variety of fruit + veggies

3

Benefits all little ones, especially those in less affluent areas who may not have the same access to fruit + veg

Champions for change!

We're leading + supporting lots of projects to make sure little ones all over the UK get access to sensory food play

Group

supporting research

on the impact of sensory food play in the early years

Group 2

developing lesson plans

working with the early years alliance and charity Flavour School

Group 3

funding pilots

to deliver sensory food education in a diverse range of early years environments

Roundel 4

developing 'play at home' materials

to help parents + carers carry out sensory play at home

Roundel 5

taking sensory food play on the road!

Providing practical lessons + training materials to nurseries + early years settings across the UK in our Eat. Play. Love. Truck!

Read more

our partners + experts

We’re proud to be working with a number of experts and organisations, developing guidance and to help every little one have access to sensory food play

Flavour school 2022 09 22 142233 qmyw

Flavour School

Sensory food education

Early years 2

Early Years Alliance

Pre-school Learning

Helen 2

Dr Helen Coulthard

Developmental Psychologist

Claire

Claire Baseley

Infant Nutritionist

eat. play. love

We're encouraging all little ones to play with their food! because when they play, explore and have fun with food using all their senses, that's when they become more willing to try new foods...and even learn to love them!

Find out more

sensory play

Learn to love good food with sensory play!
With our experts, we've created lots of quick, easy + simple ideas to encourage your little one to experience sensory food play

Play at home

join Ella's friends

Welcome to the Ella's Kitchen family! As a special friend, you'll get instant access to a free digital weaning guide + when your little one reaches 12 months, you'll also have access to a handy guide to feeding toddlers.

We'll also send you a useful weaning chart + free vouchers in the post as well as regular emails with lots of weaning tips, recipes, offers + more!