The Design Challenge:
Investigating how can design be used to help children aged four to six living with sensory processing disorders and food texture aversions navigate life with the condition.
The Outcome:
Using insights from research and working with collaborators, the final design outcome is an illustrated children’s book with supporting activity pack.
The aim of the book is to provide the child with the vocabulary to describe what they do and don’t like about the food they are eating. The book can be personalised when buying, making it more valuable to the child. The narrative begins when the child doesn’t want to eat the meal their mum has made them. The story follows the characters unexpected journey through dif- ferent worlds, where they meet lots of new friends. Each food character they meet along the way teaches them new texture descriptive words. When the character finally returns home they have the confidence to talk to their parent about why they don’t like the food on their plate, using the new vocabulary they have learnt.
The activity pack is full of recipes and games that create a safe environment to try new foods, and reflect on these experiences through their progress journal.
