Nutritionists compete to create the perfect dishes for children
Shanghai hosted a childcare vocational skills competition on Friday to improve professional abilities and better serve “the softest group of society.”
Many child-carers and nutritionists from 2,000 kindergartens, nurseries, and other child-care facilities in Shanghai participated in the event, out of which 294 made it to the finals at Shanghai Open University and Yangpu Modern Vocational School affiliated with Shanghai Normal University, the Shanghai Education Commission said.
Ti Gong
Nutritional dishes and pastries
Caregivers were tested on daily life care, hygiene, health care, and first aid, which covers all scenarios in taking care of children of different ages at nurseries and kindergartens, handling emergencies, and designing games to help children develop hygiene habits and self-care.
The nutritionists had to create cold dishes, Chinese pastries, and hot dishes and exhibit them in 4.5 hours. They had to demonstrate both cooking and child nutrition expertise.
Caregivers at the competition
Xiao Huihui has been a caregiver for over a decade. She stated that preparing for the competition boosted her professional talent.
“Every child is a treasure to the family. I hope my abilities can increase parents’ trust in our nursery classes,” she said.
Li Jun, one of the caretaker judges, said that families are increasingly demanding high-quality childcare services, making the work more difficult than before.
“It’s no longer enough for us to simply help children with their daily needs. We must provide them with a safe and acceptable environment, while also guiding and teaching them how to do things. And that is precisely what we are looking into in this competition,” he said.
Nadire / SHINE
Tools used by caregivers in the competition