Kindergarten Rules and Routines: Lunch

Teaching School Routines is Essential!

The first few days weeks of school, I go over every single routine I can think of and explicitly teach students the expectationsregarding those routines. Never take anything for granted!! Trust me--if you just assume that five-year olds know how to sit at a cafeteria table with 20 or so of their new friends and quietly eat their lunches--you're going to end up with 20 or so kids running around the cafeteria with chicken nuggets in their pockets and peanut butter in their hair!

On the very first morning of school, well before their their little bellies start rumbling, I take the kids down to the empty cafeteria (this is actually a school-wide expectation.) We go over everything--step by step. We line up, we go through the cafeteria line, we get our invisible milk, we get our invisible trays, we make our invisible side choices, we scan our lunch cards--all the while, I'm talking about what their bodies should look like and their voices should sound like.

We go to our table and I show them exactly how to sit. And then I show them what not to do--stand on the benches, crawl under the table, run around, scream, yell--they love that part.

Then I show them exactly how to clean up. We go through the whole routine with our invisible lunches. And then we line up to leave.

I try my best to think of every possibility and cover it all (although they always manage to think of something else. I mean, who knew that some kids think it's funny to stick pretzel sticks up their noses?)  

It takes a big chunk of time, but it's well worth it. Depending on the class, I sometimes do this 2 or 3 times that first week. And I always do it again mid-year as a refresher.

After we return to the room, we make a T-chart of good choices and bad choices. I let the kids act these out (they always want to act out the bad ones!) From this list, we make a final list of expectations.

 

The next day, I print these out. We review them again and then we make fun little paper lunchboxes and glue them inside (good coloring, cutting and gluing practice). I let the kids take them home and ask the parents to go over these expectations with their children for a little added reinforcement.

 

Here is a blackline master for lunchboxes. I've included a MS Word document as well in case you would like to use your own class/school cafeteria expectations.

 
Download Cafeteria Expectations Lunch Box

Download Cafeteria Expectations Lunch Box

 

I always read the book Lunch by Denise Fleming to introduce this activity. The kids love to guess what food the mouse will eat next.

But I also found these on Amazon:

Manners in the Lunchroom by Amanda Doering Tourville

I just ordered this one. I have Manners at School already and really like it, so I'm hoping this one is good as well.

Mealtimeby Elizabeth Verdick

I love all of these Free Spirit Publishing books. Even though they're for toddlers, I find they are good jumping off points for kindergarten discussions.

Please Pass the Manners by Lola Schaefer 

May your year be filled with many, many, completely boring, uneventful lunch periods!

Comments

[ann pope]

Just discovered your blog and I just wanted to tell you that it is awesome. I can tell you are a 'real' kindergarten teacher by your dead on pronunciation of pat-ter-ens.

[Denise]

I do the same thing with my KinderKids. Last year we got our invisible trays, sat at our assigned table and practiced good lunchroom manners. They were pretending to eat their invisible food and showing me their best manners. After a few minutes, I asked them to stand up so we could practice lining up. One little sweetie continued to "eat". I said "time to go" we are going to line up...he replied with a very puzzled look..."but I am not finished eating yet"!

[Lisa Peterson]

We do the whole walk through at our school, too. But I love how you reinforce it and the lunch box activity is too cute. Chips are a no-no at our school, but I can just cover those up when I make copies - perfect! Thanks for sharing.

[Jonelle]

Can I tell you how happy that you are back!! You are such an inspiration. I started science notebooks last year after doing a book study and your blog was such a great resource.
Jonelle

A Place Called Kindergarten

[Courtney]

I teach 2nd grade and you would think they would know what to do in the cafeteria. However, last year I still had some that couldn't sit there and follow the rules. This is a cute idea.

[Connie Boltz]

Thank you SO MUCH for the book support I especially enjoyed the book support information and the home/school connection you made with the adorable lunch boxes. We haven't started school yet (Sept.6th) - I love being a little bit more prepared each year with new ideas and new enthusiasm - YOU BLESS US WITH BOTH!!!! Many thanks, An Appreciative New Friend! :D

[Susan]

Thanks for the cute and helpful ideas!

[Heather]

I am a first time Kindergarten teacher (I used to teacher third grade for two years) and I love your blog. It is helping me so much! Thanks!

[kerri]

Love this! Lunch is always my least favorite part of the day because their behavior is so awful. We model but I really like your activities to go along with it. Thanks for sharing.

[Robin H]

Glad you are back!!! Thanks for your inspiring blog!

[Kathryn]

Denise...that is such a cute story!

Lisa...you can just use the MS word version and delete the picture of the chips. I wish we had a no-chip rule. Sometimes, I see kids with lunches that contain nothing but mini-donuts and hot Cheetoes.

[Barbara]

I love it! Thanks for sharing! I think that I will be doing this activity with my students the first day :)

[Holly]

I love your lunchbox project! I am having difficulty with downloading it. Is it possible that you could download both documents?
[email protected]
Thank you so much!
Holly
PS--your blog is just wonderful!

[Edana]

Thank you so much for providing an editable format!

[Cheryl]

I am a new friend and your blog is wonderful! Thank you so much for the lunch ideas! LOVE THEM! :)
Cheryl
Crayons and Curls

[Lynne]

Great Idea...love it.Thanks!!!!

[Chrissy]

I am THRILLED that you are posting again! Your blog was one of the first I found and it is excellent!

ReadWriteSing

[kathy]

This is an awesome idea and so cute. I will use it next week.

[Hopping into First Grade]

Brilliant! This is just what I needed to reteach cafeteria routines. Maybe round 2 will be more successful! Thank you so much for sharing!

http://hoppingintofirstgrade.blogspot.com

[Heather]

I have taught for 18 years and you have just TOTALLY INSPIRED me. LOVE your ideas and info.

[Cydney]

As a food service manager, I came across your blog. It is very good that you are sharing this with others who are at their wits end to assist their class with good manners. I'm going to share with my kindergarten/first grad teachers. Hopefully your information would be very inspiring and helpful for their classes in maintaining order in the cafeteria. Thank you!!

[Debbie Caruso]

I love this so much!!!! My son is about to start kindergarten and we had so much fun making our pretend lunchbox and going over the rules. I took it a step further and printed out an extra copy of the "choices" and taped the "Good Choices" box into the inside of his lunchbox with packing tape. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

[Jen fagan]

I love this!!!!

[Suparba Panda]

The blog is wonderful. My son just started going to kindergarten this year. I am interested in everything I can learn about Kindergarten teaching methodology. And I can see you are a wonderful teacher. I have a question for you. I just noticed that in my son's school his teacher is giving special privilege to kids to have lunch with her who have been good. Do you think this is the right approach? To me it feels like partial treatment. But I am no good at kindergarten ways of doing things. I would love if you can share your thoughts on this.

[Candace]

I love the cafeteria lunch box expectations activity. I tried opening the MS document but it's not working. Can you email it to me?