Kindermusik and Picky Eating: Helping Toddlers Explore new Food

wendynutini
Nov 10
3 min read

If your little one’s “no thank you” list feels longer than your Thanksgiving menu, you’re not alone! Picky eating is a normal stage of toddlerhood, rooted in development rather than defiance. The good news? Music and play can make a big difference in helping toddlers and young children explore new food in a fun, pressure-free way.

At Tuneful Journey, we see every week in class how musical exploration builds sensory confidence, routine, and connection. These are key ingredients for healthy mealtime habits as well.

Toddler trying new food with dad at dining table.

Music Builds the Brain AND the Senses to Help Toddlers Explore New Food

Eating is a sensory experience. Taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight all play a role. Many toddlers seem "picky" but are simply cautious explorers of new sensations. We can help.

Try inviting children to explore their food first (before expecting them to eat it):

1. start with texture and smell

Let your child notice textures and smells first with their noses and utensils - and even their hands if you’re comfortable with it!

2. Try Food Art

“Food art,” like making faces with fruit slices or stacking veggie “blocks,” can be very appealing and helpful in encouraging that first bite.

3. Use Familiar Songs to Introduce New Foods

Songs like Milk and Cookies or Apples and Bananas (classics from our Kindermusik library!) connect movement, rhythm, and playful language about food. You can swap in the words of new foods to keep it fun and pressure-free.

The goal is exposure and comfort, not eating right away. When children can touch and manipulate food without pressure, their sensory tolerance improves and they’re more likely to taste on their own time.

Routine and Predictability Make Mealtimes Easier

Tuneful Journey rituals like our “Hello” and “Goodbye” songs mirror the comfort of routines that help children feel secure. Similarly, a familiar mealtime song or a rhythm before trying new foods can reduce anxiety.

Try using Kindermusik’s Go Into the Kitchen or Hot Cross Buns from the Food collection as a new food cue. The predictability of the tune helps signal, “It’s time to try something new,” in a calm, playful way. (“Go into the kitchen and try some [new food name]” or “Hot Cross Peppers, Try-a-little, Taste-a-little, Hot Cross Peppers.”)

Family Connection vs Correction Reduces Mealtime Battles

1. Use Music and Movement Before Mealtime

Try spending a few minutes dancing or singing together before dinnertime. This can help ease the transition from playtime to mealtime, and music and movement naturally nurture joy and connection. When kids move to a song like Looby Loo or bounce to Do As I’m Doing (also available in the Playtime theme from the Kindermusik App) they activate their muscles and sensory systems, which can help regulate appetite and focus.

2. sing together at the table

Singing together at the table, even something silly like commenting on textures or other ways to describe the food (“This carrot is crunchy!”), can turn the focus from what a child is eating to how you’re enjoying time together.

3. Use positive mealtime language

Try using positive phrases that focus on curiosity:

(“What do you think this will taste like?”) instead of performance (“You need to eat that”).
Praise brave behavior, not empty plates.
If something isn’t liked, say, “Maybe another day” instead of “You don’t like that.”

4. track new foods

Consider adding new foods to a “Food Explorer Chart” or “Taste Adventure” tracker.

Let the Music Lead: Helping Little Ones Try Something New

When we celebrate with music, children feel seen, safe, and curious. Whether your table is filled with turkey and dressing or toddler-friendly mac and cheese, we hope you remember that music, play, and connection nourish just as much as food.

Sing a little, sway a little, and celebrate every “I tried it!” moment. With Kindermusik, every bite - like every beat - is a step toward growth, confidence, and joy.