Playing Before Eating

Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families · Apr 19, 2026 · 11m · transcript

Could it be that your child’s uneaten lunch isn’t the problem… the schedule is?

A simple shift happening in Aussie schools is transforming behaviour, boosting learning, and - finally - getting kids to actually eat their food.

This episode unpacks the “play first, eat later” approach - and why it works far better than anything you can pack in a lunchbox.

If your child comes home hangry, exhausted, or with a full lunchbox… this might be the missing piece.

KEY POINTS

Why kids skip lunch (and it’s not about the food)

The “play first” model…