THE EATING GAME 2007 - 2014

The first copy of The Eating Game was completed on March 1, 2007 for Ethan who was 6 years old and is autistic. At the time he was happiest eating just hot dogs and rice! He was very excited the first day he used The Eating Game because had hot dogs and rice for breakfast! - a story I like to tell to illustrate that a key feature of The Eating Game is that the child is in control of the choices! They like that!

The user needs to have only 2 skills:

• be able to make a choice

• be able to match 4 colors (blue, yellow, green and red)

 (NOTE: verbal or literacy skills not needed)

 There are over 200 food pictures in four different food groups and colors: 1 inch pictures, 5 mil laminated card stock with a hook and loop button that will support alternative choices made by those on CFGF diets or any other dietary restrictions

• Milk and Alternatives - Blue

• Grains - Yellow

• Fruit and Vegetables - Green

• Meat and Alternatives - Red

There are planning charts for each of the age groups in Canada's Food Guide: five are included in the binder: 2-3, 4-8, 9-13, females 14-18, males 14-18 but there are also 4 more that are available if needed: females 19-50 and 51+, males 19-50 and 51+. It is being used in some group homes and by folks in assisted living programs. The charts are also 5 mil laminated card stock with hook & loop buttons to accept the food pictures. There are storage pages to put the pictures on that the parent chooses to present to the child.

Initially the parent chooses the food pictures to present based on:

• foods the child can eat (special dietary considerations)

• foods the child has eaten in their lifetime

• foods available at the time

• foods the parent chooses!

Once the pictures are presented for the child's choice, it has to be totally their choice. They must choose pictures to match the colored squares on their planning chart. Once they have done this they have chosen to eat the foods recommended by Canada's Food Guide for their age group. They can later be exchanged but the new choice must be the same color.

NOTE: The choice Ethan made of hot dogs & rice for breakfast only happened once, because then he realized he couldn't have it for lunch or supper! However, he was pretty excited to be able to make that choice which also convinced him he was in control!

There are some pictures that Canada's Food Guide might not recommend, like chocolate cake with the "grains pics" but I felt they needed to be included. The reality is that these foods will be eaten and perhaps not all that bad a choice when made in moderation (and the parent is really in control of what is presented!) If a child who is a poor eater can start eating most of what Canada's Food Guide recommends then maybe they deserve a treat too! The cake or other choice could also be used as a reinforcer to enhance motivation!

Ethan was eating over 200 new foods in 15 months and he still (after 29 months) uses The Eating Game although is eating almost everything! Being able to make the choices and being in control is important. This makes mealtime very predictable and the visual supports are a great communication tool! Meals are no longer a surprise - pretty significant for a lot of kids with ASD!

Since 2007 other The Eating Game products have been developed and it is now available in English, French and Mi’kmaq. There is a MIY (Make It Yourself) Kit and a Digital Downloadable Edition. The Eater’s Choice Daily Meal Planner offers the user the same convenient reusable meal planner without the pictures.

The Eating Game now has Patent Rights ~

US Patent #8,333,593 B2 granted in Dec 2013

Canadian Patent # 2,612,218 granted in Jan 2014  

HAVE YOU GIVEN THIS GOOD CONSIDERATION?

Have you looked at The Eating Game and wondered if it would be beneficial for your family? Yes, I meant to say "family" as it would be a family commitment if you want your child use it to improve their eating choices. Before your child even sees The Eating Game you as a parent/caregiver, therapist or teacher you must become very familiar with it.

The hope is that The Eating Game will be successful but realize this is likely an investment for the long term. Two year olds can use The Eating Game and use it up until 18 years of age; many will and that can be a good thing! You will play a part in its use everyday but as they use it more independently your time commitment will lessen. Someone has to select the foods (from 200+ pictures) to present to the user for daily choices.

       

These choices will be based on how many servings of foods your child needs for the day, based on the chart for their age group. There are 5 charts to choose from and with request we can supply charts for ages 19 - 51+ instead of the younger ages.

The greatest benefits will be realized if The Eating Game can become a daily routine. Choose a time every day when you can plan all meals and snacks for a full day. A time many families find very convenient is when their child is having a bedtime snack. If you choose this snack time the routine can take place anywhere (home, cottage, Gramma's) and at whatever the appropriate time is for that particular day.

You present the foods your child will use to plan their meals. Start with foods they are eating now or have eaten in their lifetime. Once it is an established routine then you can decide on the best time and strategy to slowly introduce new foods.

Once your child understands how to use The Eating Game, which is very simple, they will be able to use it independently after you present the pictures for choice. The latter can be done at any time, ahead of time.

Many families are finding the whole family can benefit! The "cook" can prepare 1 meal for everyone instead of running a restaurant.
 

If you have specific questions prior to purchasing you Eating Game, consultation with Jean Nicol, the inventor, is part of the package. She is also available for consultation following your purchase. She can be contacted via the website at www.theeatinggame.ca

VIDEO MODELING AT ITS BEST

Video modeling is an evidence-based practice that can be a powerful teaching strategy for children learning new skills. It can be effective for use from elementary through high school for some learners. It can be effective in developing skills in the following areas: behavior, play, social, communication and academics. Some children would benefit greatly by using these strategies at home and in school providing an advantage of teachers and parents/caregivers supporting the same skill development with the same expectations as the child imitates the skills that were watched on the video.

Mary Beth Rochin Palo is the Mom of a child with autism, founder of Watch Me Learn and creator of effective video-based instruction. For more information on the products she has created go to www.watchmelearn.com

For this month of February, 2014 Watch Me Learn has partnered with The Eating Game to bring parents and professionals a special giveaway offer. When you sign up to receive the free monthly Eating Game Newsletter you will be entered for the Feb 28^th draw for a giveaway of the Classic Series Full Set of 5 Video Modeling DVDs. To view images from the videos click on the image for each product http://www.watchmelearn.com/our-products/product-catalog

The Eating Game Newsletter will come to you via email once a month providing news of recent research, information about Eating Game products including new developments, special diets and dietary considerations that help children with eating challenges, food preparation ideas to motivate picky eaters, recipes and more.

Each month in 2014 at EYECAN CREATIONS Publications we will feature a product that is beneficial to children/teens/young adults with developmental delays. At the end of the month one of our newsletter subscribers will be the lucky winner of a giveaway of our featured product.

In January, 2014 the winner of a Success Box www.firstandthen.com and 120 laminated Boardmaker symbols and hook & loop fasteners was Ruth Winburn.

This month our winner will be announced on March 1 in our next issue of The Eating Game Advocate. It could be you if you sign up at www.theeatinggame.ca . You will also be entered in draws every month throughout 2014. Good luck!

THE EATING GAME FOR ADULTS

Do you have  an autistic/aspergers adult in your home who restricts what they eat and would benefit from a more varied, healthier diet? At the request of adults who wanted the benefits of The Eating Game but did not need the pictures EYECAN CREATIONS Publications developed the Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners.

The first set of planners was for ages 14 - 18, 19 - 50 and 50+. Then a friend was interested in one for his 5 year old daughter who was very focused on reading and printing words. She used the food pictures in The Eating Game to find the foods, with words, she was looking for! It was a hit and she benefited from learning to make healthy food choices and expanding on the variety of foods she ate. So planners are now available for 4 - 8 and 9 - 13 year olds too. Some families work at meal planning together with perhaps one person using The Eating Game and others using Eater's Choice Meal Planners.

I believe very many on the spectrum self restrict their diets to a manageable number of foods they can keep track of so they always know what they will be eating - no surprises, less change to remember. This allows them to be in control too, which is something many on the spectrum struggle to do. With this planner they are very much in control and mealtime, planned ahead, becomes very predictable!

It is a dry erase reusable double sided chart.This is a sample picture of the planner that you can purchase from www.theeatinggame.ca either as a ready to use product or you can download a digital copy to print yourself and laminate. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

If it would help we can offer extra resources: 1) a list of foods in the 4 food groups used in the Eating Game 2) pictures (with words) of the foods in The Eating Game. Just contact with your request via www.theeatinggame.ca after you have made your purchase. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. It is always great to hear about everyone's success! Happy, healthy eating!

YOU CAN WIN SO MANY WAYS

http://www.theeatinggame.ca

You may be the winner in our January 31/14 Draw but only if you enter of course!

The winner will get a Success Box for the storage of your visual support images. To learn more about this awesome storage box go to http://www.firstandthen.com . You will also win 100 Boardmakerimages ( 1 or 1.5 inches) of your choice and an assortment of boards with velcro strips for communication and/or schedules.

The winning will continue as you receive our regular Eating Game Newsletter. The plan is to provide you with current information that may help you with the eating challenges you and your child face:

• recent research findings
• information about special dietary considerations
• ideas for motivating food presentations
• recipes and more

We will always welcome any suggestions or needs you might have that we can address.

So sign up today for our newsletter to have your email address entered into our draw on Jan 31/14. Oh and we will have a draw for something different the last gay of each month throughout 2014! the newsletters will have future draw information. Clicking on the link with the image at the top will take you to the sign up. Good luck!

TODDLERS ARE USING THE EATING GAME

Yes toddlers are using The Eating Game! The first of 5 age based meal planning charts is for 2 - 3 year olds. Of course the major advantage is going to be that a young child is learning healthy eating habits early enough to hopefully avoid becoming a picky eater! That in itself would be a huge plus.

I believe that a certain number, perhaps a good percentage, of picky eaters are kids who learn that they can be in control using food. Gaining control in your environment is something all kids seek and it is part of normal growth. The key is to allow them to have control while guiding for good choices - often not an easy task!

So The Eating Game was developed with "control" in mind. The way it works is that parents present ample choices and the child is in control of making the choices - they love this! They will be making good choices because the meal planning chart they use requires that they do as they match 4 colors!

The only 2 skills needed to use The Eating Game independently(with the parent present) are: 1) being able to make a choice 2) matching the 4 colors: blue, red, yellow and green. If your child has fine motor delays some assistance may be required.

Using The Eating Game every day to plan healthy meals provides opportunities for growth in other areas of development:

• ·         language development: learning the names of colors and foods, food groups, meals and snacks, listening and following directions,

• ·         speech: practicing saying the names of foods, asking and responding to questions

• ·         practicing skills of sorting and matching as well as following a schedule

• ·         fine motor skills: picking up food pictures and sticking them on the meal planning charts (velcro buttons)

• ·         developing a daily routine of planning healthy meals which can be done 1 meal/snack at a time and eventually planning the whole day for tomorrow.

• ·         helps to develop an understanding of serving sizes and portion control that will perhaps avoid overeating and unnecessary weight gain while ensuring a good nutrition.

The Eating Game was named "a game" by the child it was invented for, as he said "because it is fun!" Learning for young children should always be fun. With this game they win ever time they play too! they will hopefully gain skills that will last them a lifetime.

The inventor, Jean Nicol, is always available to answer questions and provide support. Contact her at www.theeatinggame.ca

The Eating Game - US Patent #8,333,593 B2

Will The Eating Game would work for you??

Are you wondering if The Eating Game would help your child improve their eating habits? Here are a few questions to consider…………………….

Does your child self restrict their diet?

Do they like being in control whenever possible?

Have you dealt with the possibility of medical, food allergy, sensory issues related to food?

Have they eaten more foods in their lifetime than they are now?

My theory is that for a lot of kids with autism and not, self restricting their diet to a small number of foods is managable so they always know what they will be eating - no surprises, no changes, a very predictable eating environment.

Does your child communicate well verbally?

Do they like structure and routine?

Do they respond positively to visual support systems?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions I would suggest you ask more questions, find out more about what is involved, how it works.

Become a fan of The Eating Game Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389 and post your question on the wall.

Look at the photo album http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=117743845389&aid=307264 and read the captions under each picture.

Become Jean Nicol's friend (she is the inventor) at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1489691121 and send her a message.