Tuesday, July 1, 2014

HOW IT CAN WORK FOR YOU

THE EATING GAME

These photos with description, explain the components of The Eating Game and how it works. It is presented in a 3 ring binder with a copy of Canada's Food Guide, very similar to guide recommendations in other countries.In creating The Eating Game I drew on my education (degree in Nutrition and Education, specializing in Special Education) and my 37 years of work experience as a Special Education Teacher, SchoolBoard Autism Consultant and Early interventionist. For more info and to order your copy go to www.theeatinggame.ca Click on each photo for further explanation. Feel free to ask questions. Modifications can be made too.


I invented The Eating Game for a 6 year old friend, named Ethan, who is autistic. At the time he preferred to always eat hot dogs and rice; oh and he liked pizza too! So I set out to create something to help him to continue to be in control of his food choices but to expand them to have a more varied, healthier diet. I knew it would have to be very visual and offer structure and routine to make mealtime very predictable. When I was finished my creation I knew, from experience and my knowledge of autism, that I had created something that could help many more children who have restricted diets. And so it evolved ~ The Eating Game ~ it worked for Ethan and is working for many others (testimonialshttp://on.fb.me/bpwxvA ) Even after several years of using The Eating Game every day, Ethan would still choose to use it to plan his meals – he liked being in control of the food choices and he liked the predictable mealtime environment it created for him. I would encourage you to check it out. I always hope it will help another child.

The United States granted my Patent # 8,333,593 B2 was granted on Dec 18, 2012; the Canadian Patent in January 2014.. This is a unique invention that can be used by a child to plan meals independently. No other patented invention provided a meal planner that could be used by almost any child, verbal or non verbal, gifted or challenged with delays.


To order http://theeatinggame.ca/our-store/





The Eating Game has 5 meal planning charts that are card stock with 5 mil laminating for: 
2 - 3 years
4 - 8 years
9 - 13 years
Females 14 - 18 years
Males 14 - 18 years

NOTE: I also have adult charts available for males & females 19 - 50 and 51+. Please just ask and I will exchange charts for younger age charts that you wouldn't need.

The chart being used can be removed from the binder for easy use and be able to be displayed daily in a prominent place.





Each meal planning chart has six meals:                               


Breakfast

Snack
Lunch
Snack
Supper
Snack
The four colors on the chart refer to the 4 food groups:
Green - Fruit & Vegetables
Yellow - Grains
Red - Meat & Alternatives
Blue - Milk & Alternatives
The number of each color indicates the recommended number of servings for 1 day; the arrangement being the creators choice.
There are also squares to place pictures of water.
Each square has a velcro button.



There are 4 sets of food pictures, over 240 in total.      


They are color coded to match the squares on the

planning charts.
Green - Fruit & Vegetables
Yellow - Grains
Red - Meat & Alternatives
Blue - Milk & Alternatives

Each picture is on 5 mil laminated card stock with a velcro button on the back so that it will adhere to the chart.
Each day you would display only the foods from the 4 groups that your child will choose from to plan their meals for the day. You would begin by presenting any foods they have eaten in their life time that you have on hand that day.






Choosing foods, from those presented by the parent/caregiver, the pictures are placed on the daily planning chart by matching colors to plan each meal/snack for the day. There is now a very visual plan that will make the mealtime environment very predictable. At the end of the day the pictures are removed and the next day can be planned! It is an easy structure for a child to work with and one that remains the same for a lifetime! The routine of planning everyday at the same time will be beneficial to most children and the family. Very quickly, most children will be able to do this independently.

.......................................... Jean Nicol




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