During these years, a child begins to take on its own unique
personality and to exert its independence by moving around freely and choosing
foods to eat. Although the child is still growing, the rate of growth is slower
than in the first 12 months of life. At the end of the third year of age, girls
and boys will have achieved about 50 per cent of their adult height.
During this period a child becomes able to drink through a straw
and eat with a spoon, and frequently they become "fussy" eaters. The
provision of a variety of foods will allow the child to choose from a range of
foods with differing tastes, textures, and colours to help satisfy their
appetite. The most important factor is to meet energy needs with a wide variety
of foods.
Food intake will be influenced increasingly by family eating patterns and peers. Early food experiences may have important effects on food likes and dislikes and eating patterns in later life. Meal times should not be rushed and a relaxed approach to feeding will pave the way for healthy attitudes to food.
