Family Dietetics - Food Play & Grow: Where Play and Paediatric Dietetics Meet

Food Play Grow, a branch of Family Dietetics, is proudly based on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula and dedicated to helping children and families achieve their nutrition, feeding, and developmental goals. Our services include specialised paediatric feeding therapy to target feeding challenges in children, crafted by our experienced NDIS dietitian, to support children in their journey toward eating habits that support nutrition and growth. 

We provide a nurturing and positive environment that encourages self-confidence, curiosity, and growth through enjoyable, hands-on food experiences. Our play & grow programs, key worker model and therapy sessions are designed to make learning about food fun, reduce mealtime stress, and support healthy relationships with eating. 

At Food Play Grow, we: 

- Offer tailored feeding therapy, sensory food play, and nutrition support focused on the unique needs of each child. 

- Encourage exploration and self-feeding skills in a calm, supportive setting, ensuring every child feels valued. 

- Collaborate with parents and caregivers as key workers to build confidence and practical strategies for home. 

- Regularly review and evaluate progress in our paediatric dietetics approach to ensure that every child continues to thrive. 

Our goal is to create positive experiences around food, supporting children to grow, learn, and enjoy mealtimes again.

LEGO®️ Based Therapy is an evidence-based therapy designed specifically for young autistics. This unique social skills program not only helps improve communication, participation, and cooperative skills but also aligns well with the principles of feeding therapy. While children engage in play with LEGO®️, they develop essential skills in a fun environment, making it feel less like therapy. Additionally, the involvement of a key worker can enhance the experience, ensuring that each child's needs are met, similar to how an NDIS dietitian would tailor dietary plans within paediatric dietetics. Overall, it's a wonderful way for children to play & grow while learning.

Our Therapy Kitchen is a designated space to learn about food and how to eat it. At Food Play Grow, we pride ourselves on delivering paediatric dietetics, nutrition, and feeding therapy in a way that translates back to the family table. We understand that 'fussy eating' is more physiological than behavioral, which is why our NDIS dietitian collaborates with each key worker to individualize our weekly or fortnightly programs to account for this.

Our Preppin’ Preppie Program is designed to support the development of confidence and independence before starting school, laying a strong foundation for later learning. Each child will engage in our weekly specially designed program, receiving guidance from our highly qualified Early Childhood Teacher, who can also work alongside your key worker to address needs such as feeding therapy. Additionally, our program is informed by insights from an NDIS dietitian specialising in paediatric dietetics, ensuring a holistic approach that encourages children to play & grow.

Crayon Time is a program specially designed for children aged 2-3 years to build and develop their social skills through a variety of fun, creative, imaginative, and messy experiences. This program not only serves as an excellent opportunity for your child to make friends but also allows you to connect with other families, including those who may benefit from feeding therapy or support from a key worker. Additionally, our NDIS dietitian is available to provide guidance on paediatric dietetics, ensuring that your little ones can thrive while they play & grow.

Our Key Support Worker is here to assist in achieving individual goals alongside fellow Allied Health Professionals, including our NDIS dietitian who specializes in paediatric dietetics. We also support families and children, ensuring that the entire family can reach their goals. We focus on building skills and fostering everyday independence in preparation for school, kinder, and all of life’s transitions. Our family-focused service meets diverse needs and circumstances while respecting beliefs, values, and cultures, and we offer feeding therapy as part of our Play & Grow initiative.