Banana Origami

Food literacy for young children is all about understanding where our food comes from and engaging with food in a positive environment, whether we are tasting it or simply talking about it and building it into our curriculum. 

What can we learn about bananas?

Bananas are fruits that are usually long and curved. They grow in clusters from the top of the plant. The flesh is soft and rich in starch. The flesh is covered by a rind that we usually see green, and as it ripens, it becomes yellow and then brown. Sometimes bananas can also have a red or purple rim. Most of the bananas in Canada come from Latin and South America, although they are native to Southeast Asia.  

Bananas are a good source of energy, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. They are great when beginning to complement milk with solid foods in infants, as they have a consistency that’s easy for children to eat and a sweet taste.  They are also good finger foods for toddlers and can be used for so many purposes from topping cereal or yogurt to spreading on toast as well as smoothies and baking.

Origami bananas are a fun food activity for kids:

To make a cluster of three bananas, use three 4 x 4-inch yellow glossy paper pieces. Fold each paper as shown below. Do one yourself and let the kids follow you along step by step:

Rotate the papers and have the children  glue the three bananas on one side to form a cluster, as shown. Then they can colour the tips of the bananas with a black marker: