Pretty pretend food...

Last summer I hooked on crafting with felt (featured on my other blog glitterandgarnish.blogspot.com)...and my mother in-law got hooked on amigurumi.. together we have created a quite a collection of different textured, yet realistic looking, pretend food for my pre-k kids! The possibilities are endless..I've seen everything from felt sushi to amigurumi tacos! Here are few photos of things we have made so far...she's also created some ice cream cones and I'm working on felt watermelon slices for "Beach Party Picnic" pretend center. I am slowly weeding out all the plastic pretend center foods and dishes and replacing with felt, amigurumi, and artificial foods (the kind you would decorate your kitchen with). Felt is great because you can create leaves to be opened up on corncobs or lines in a pumpkin..and students can feel the different textures. Artificial foods (although pricey!)like heads of cabbage, rubber grapes, fruits..etc.. are wonderful because they are SO realistic! I would love for my pretend center to be filled with as much realistic and real items as possible...real dishes, real tablecloths, real rugs,real plants... 

See previous posts on how to incorporate more "real" food items into dramatic play:

Harvest Farmer's  Market  http://prektweets.blogspot.com/2012/09/harvest-time.html

Bakery  http://prektweets.blogspot.com/2013/02/little-red-hen.html

Spring Farmer's Market  http://prektweets.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post_28.html