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Play 'peak and pit' (also called 'petal and thorn') to prompt conversations at dinner time.
Adding time to play ‘peak and pit’ or ‘petal and thorn’ as part of your dinner routine will spark conversations between you and your family and give everyone something to look forward to. Mealtime conversations build language and literacy skills in young children as they seek to understand the stories others are telling and formulate their own when it's their turn to speak.
How to play:
Start with your 'peak' or 'petal'
Talk about something great that happened in your day. Describe how it made you feel and why.
Move on to your 'pit' or 'thorn' Now talk about something that was more challenging. Share how you overcame the challenge, or what you might do differently next time.
How playing supports your dinnertime routine
This strategy can support your dinner time routine by giving everyone something to look forward to. You are able to hear about important things that happened in one another’s day and extend conversations about the more challenging experiences.
Bonus benefits
Once something like peak and pit or petal and thorn becomes a part of your dinnertime routine - a natural opportunity for your family to connect - you may also begin to notice increased enjoyment of the actual meal provided. Eating meals together can improve parent-child relationships, create healthy habits, and support children to understand expectations.
Rely on routines
Regular routines bring comfort and consistency to a child’s life, and they make parents' lives easier too. Daily routines look different for every family; the most important aspect is creating a routine that works for you and your family. If you are new to routines, having a consistent dinner time every day is a great place to start. Read our previous post on routines >
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