Play Based Feeding Therapy

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Supporting Positive Relationships With Food

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At Nourish Nutrition Services, we provide play-based feeding therapy to help children build confidence, curiosity and comfort around food in a safe, supportive and pressure-free environment.

Our sessions are designed to reduce stress around eating while helping children gradually explore, interact with and learn about food through play, sensory experiences and positive exposure.

Play-based feeding therapy is particularly beneficial for children experiencing:

• Fussy or selective eating

• Sensory food aversions

• Anxiety around meals or new foods

• Autism and ADHD-related feeding challenges

• Limited food variety

• Mealtime distress or avoidance

• Difficulties transitioning between textures

• Neurodivergent feeding differences

• Delayed oral exposure and food confidence

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What Is Play-Based Feeding Therapy?

Play-based feeding therapy uses fun, child-led experiences to help children feel safe around food before expecting them to eat it.

Rather than using pressure, bribing or forcing children to try foods, this approach focuses on building trust, reducing anxiety and increasing positive interactions with food over time.

Children may begin by:

• Looking at food

• Touching food

• Smelling food

• Feeding toys or characters

• Cooking or preparing foods

• Exploring textures through sensory play

• Using food in games and creative activities

• Learning about foods away from the pressure of mealtimes

Over time, many children naturally become more comfortable progressing toward tasting and eating new foods.

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Our Approach

At Nourish Nutrition Services, sessions are:

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Child-Led

We follow the child’s pace and interests to help create positive and successful experiences around food.

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Neurodiversity-Affirming

We recognise that feeding challenges are often connected to sensory processing, communication, predictability, anxiety and nervous system regulation.

Our approach respects each child’s individual sensory profile and support needs.

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Pressure-Free

Children are never forced to taste or eat foods.

Reducing pressure is important for helping children feel safe, maintain trust and develop long-term positive relationships with food.

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Collaborative

Where appropriate, we work alongside families, educators, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists and other members of the child’s support team to create consistent strategies across environments.

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What Happens During Sessions?

Every child is different, and sessions are tailored to their age, interests, sensory preferences and feeding goals.

Activities may include:

• Sensory food exploration

• Food play and messy play

• Feeding games and themed activities

• Cooking and food preparation

• Shape cutting and creative food activities

• Storybooks and food learning

• Food chaining strategies

• Building mealtime routines

• Parent coaching and practical strategies

• Gentle exposure to new foods

• Regulation and calming strategies before meals

Sessions are designed to feel engaging, playful and low-pressure.

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Where Are Sessions Held?

We offer:

• Home visits

• Daycare and school visits

• Community-based sessions

• Telehealth parent support sessions

We currently service Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounding areas.

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Why Play Matters

Research shows children learn best through play and repeated positive exposure.

When children are allowed to explore food without pressure, they are more likely to:

• Develop food confidence

• Reduce fear and anxiety around food

• Increase willingness to interact with foods

• Expand food variety over time

• Improve mealtime participation

• Build positive long-term eating relationships

Play also supports sensory learning, emotional regulation and autonomy — all important foundations for feeding development.

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Evidence-Based Practice

Our approach is informed by current evidence around:

• Responsive feeding

• Division of responsibility in feeding

• Sensory-based feeding interventions

• Neurodiversity-affirming practice

• Food exposure research

• Positive mealtime environments

• Child development and play-based learning

Research consistently shows that repeated low-pressure exposure to foods can help increase familiarity and acceptance over time.

Children often need multiple positive exposures to a food before they feel comfortable tasting or accepting it.