Most children need to concentrate while eating or preparing food. Recently at our Montessori Parent-Toddler class I observed a child not much older than Otis slicing tiny slivers of pear. I wasn't timing her - she just went on for a very long time. Slicing the tiniest pieces with precision. Totally absorbed. Otis and I worked next to her but her concentration wasn't broken. There is no way you can expect or predict that was going to happen, we just need give them (the child) time, space and stay out of the way. 

Today Otis ate every single seed from three passionfruit (next time I'll buy more!). I washed the dishes, swept the floor, wiped benches and he was still totally into it. His only words were "more passionfruit?". For a busy and sometimes restless two year old this is a great period of concentration (it actually took him a really long time, those seeds are super slippery). 

I have two posts coming up, starting tomorrow about observation. If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to answer. The posts are about how we can as parents use observation to better meet the needs of our children.