Activity
Packaging Snacks
Students work together to complete the process while developing multiple skills!
This activity has been revised and was originally created by Charlotte Cushman and published in the Perkins Activity and Resource Guide (1st edition, 1992). The second edition is available for purchase.
An essential skill in working and living with others is the ability to work cooperatively. Learning to take turns, interact with others, share, and communicate politely are all important steps in developing cooperative skills. This activity is designed to teach those skills, and to illustrate that many jobs can be performed cooperatively. Other skills can be incorporated, such as counting, fine motor skills and sequencing. Lessons include Independent Living, Social Skills and Career Education.
This depends on the specific snacks being packaged and the quantity desired.
The students and teacher should decide the snack foods, and the quantity, to be packaged. Then the activity proceeds as follows:
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Chris places a small can of juice in a paper bag and passes it to Amy.
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Amy then adds a small bag of potato chips and passes it to Steve.
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Steve places a napkin in the bag and staples it shut.
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Continue this activity until the desired number of snacks have been packaged.
This activity can be adapted to items other than snacks, such as sorting and packaging toiletries kits, first aid kits, or grocery items.
By Charlotte Cushman
