how do you stop them eating stones, mud and sand and...well everything!

[woahthere]

Genuine question! 3 out of the 5 little ones I look after (not all at the same time) are very into putting everything in their mouths which I know is completely normal, but I am a bit bemused when they put a handful of mud and stones in their mouth, only to have it fished out and yucky noises made at them...only for them to do it again and again...and chew! Surely it must taste disgusting!! I'm all for a bit of mucky play, but at this rate they'll all get worms! What is your tactic on stopping this, or is it just time. They also eat crayons, paint, foam...

How old are they? It is perfectly normal for babies and younger toddlers to put everything in their mouths. All you can really do is watch closely and intercept anything unsuitable they try to eat whilst increasingly communicating what is not good to eat (We don't eat stones, stones are dirty etc). If they are beyond that age (i.e talking) you can perhaps have more of a discussion about what is good to eat and why they wouldn't want to put germs in their mouths, but if they are older, it does suggest that they have somehow missed out on this learning at the usual stage. I think it helps to have quite rigid eating routines so that eating is associated with a specific place - in other words we eat only sitting at the table, having washed our hands etc, and never whilst playing or wandering about.