I Go to Food School! | A Child-Friendly Food Exploration Support Story

Food exploration and making progress doesn't have to mean “taking a bite.”

I Go to Food School! is a playful, neurodiversity-affirming support story designed to help children explore food in a low-pressure, child-led way. The story introduces food exploration, body autonomy, sensory exploration, and the idea that children can say “no” while still learning about food.

Children are invited to look, smell, touch, play with, and explore foods without an expectation that they have to eat them. The story also includes playful mouth and tongue activities and a simple food exploration progress sheet.

Perfect for:

• Pediatric OTs, SLPs, feeding therapists, and other professionals

• Parents looking for a low-pressure way to talk about food exploration

• Children who are hesitant or cautious around unfamiliar foods

• Children who benefit from visual supports and predictable language

• Introducing food exploration before or alongside feeding therapy

• Supporting body autonomy and communication during mealtimes

• Families who want to take the pressure out of trying new foods

Safety note: This resource is intended for food exploration and education, not treatment of swallowing, nutritional, or medical concerns. Children should always be supervised during eating and food exploration. If your child has difficulty chewing or swallowing, frequent coughing or choking during meals, significant nutritional concerns, poor growth, or other medical/feeding concerns, consult your child's pediatrician and/or qualified feeding professional.