Sweet & Sour Fruit Plate

We're ending senses week with a taste adventure. Your little one tries sweet fruits and sour fruits side by side, makes their best sour face, and decides which side of the plate they like best.

What you need

• Sweet: banana slices, mango pieces, grapes (quartered), strawberries

• Sour: a lemon or lime wedge to lick, green apple slices (cut thin), kiwi

• A plate with two sides, or two small bowls labeled "sweet" and "sour"

How to make it

1. Guess first. Hold up each fruit and ask, "Do you think this one is sweet or sour?"

2. Sweet side. Taste a sweet fruit. "How does it taste? Yummy? Mild?"

3. Sour side. Now a tiny lick of lemon. Get ready for the sour face! Take photos, they're priceless.

4. Sort it. Your child puts each fruit on the sweet side or the sour side.

5. Pick a favorite. Which side does your tongue like best?

Why we love it

Taste is the sense kids use most at the table, and this plate helps them notice the difference between flavors instead of just "yummy" or "yucky." It's also a gentle way to try new fruits, because tasting is the game, not finishing the plate.

Make it your own

• Count to 4: Four sweet pieces and four sour pieces.

• Add salty: A few crackers make a third category.

• Make a face chart: Draw a happy face for sweet and a scrunched face for sour, and let your child point after each bite.

A quick safety note: For kids under 4, always quarter grapes lengthwise, cut apples thin and remove seeds from citrus. Acidic fruits like lemon can sting chapped lips. Skip anything your family avoids.

Shop these items

Everything mentioned in this post, in one place. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Divided toddler plates

• Toddler bowls

• Shop everything for Week 4: My Senses

• Starter supplies: the basics we use most weeks

• See every week in our Amazon storefront

More for this week: see all our Five Senses activities, Letter D activities and Number 4 activities.

Every child is different. Please use your own judgment about what's safe and right for your family. Always supervise children during activities and while eating, and adjust foods for allergies, dietary needs and your child's age and chewing ability. Sprocket & Sprout shares these ideas for fun and learning only. We are not responsible for any injury, allergic reaction, damage or mess that may result from trying them. This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.