Healthy Lifestyles

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Professional Development and Parent Resources

At an early age children can begin developing healthy habits. Through creative and fun activities, we can help families establish healthy nutrition and physical activity routines. We inspire children and families to maintain healthy and active lifestyles through literacy, art, culture, science, movement and cooking activities.

The following are some fun projects that you can use to explore healthy behaviors such as portion control and developing healthy bones. 

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‘Dem Bones

Children and adults will learn the importance of calcium to building strong bones.

Key Teaching Messages

• Calcium is essential for bone growth and can be found in milk and milk products, some vegetables and other foods.
• Weight-bearing physical activity, such as walking, running, climbing stairs and dancing, are best for building strong bones.
• Bones are in constant stages of growth and regeneration, even into adulthood.

Introduction/Discussion

Educators will ask families to feel their arms, fingers and knock on their heads. What is so hard? Your bones! A baby has about 300 bones, adults have 206. (As children grow, their bones fuse together.) Introduce families to the skeletal system, describing how the bones are stiff, but can still break! Bones are strengthened by the nutrients in our food and one important nutrient is calcium. Calcium is the building block of bones. Since bones are constantly repairing and building, we need to feed our bones the building blocks.
Educators will lead children in a jumping game to build bones. (Weight-bearing activities stimulate bone growth.)

Visual References

Pictures of the skeletal system and a skeletal figure. Pictures of foods that contain calcium and are good for bones.

Art Activity

Skeleton Marionette
Children and adults work together to make a moveable skeletal model that they can take home.

Materials

Oak tag, bone cut-out shapes, paper fasteners, markers. Use our very specia 

Set-up

At each seat place: pre-cut bone shapes, craft sticks, four pieces of yarn (to attach from the button fasteners to the craft sticks - makes marionette move), button fasteners, and markers. This project will be done step by step together. Demonstrate how to connect the bone pieces together (at the hole-punched joints) using the button fasteners. Show that the button fasteners allow the skeleton bones to move. When bone pieces are put together, demonstrate how to tie the yarn around the knee button fastener to the outer end of the craft stick. Next, tie the yarn from the elbow button fastener to the inner part of the craft stick. The children will need help and guidance and plenty of time to put their skeleton marionette together. Once children have completed putting their skeleton together, pass the markers out and give the children time to color in their skeleton marionette. When the children are finished coloring their marionette, write names on the project with a magic marker and find a safe place for them to stay until the end of the outreach.

Clean-up

Give children a five minute warning. Always let children know that you will be transitioning and ending the project soon. After the warning, sing a clean–up song to focus children and encourage participation in the clean-up process. One example: “Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me. Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me.”

You may use the books before or after the art projects to encourage the themes explored.
Dinosaur Stomp by Paul Stickland
Milk and Cookies by Frank Asch
Milk: From Cow to Carton by Aliki
The Skeleton Inside You by Philip Balestrino and True Kelley
Dem Bones by Bob Barner

Fabulous Fruits

Children and adults will learn the importance of eating a variety of fruits every day. 

Key Teaching Messages

• Eat three fruits a day to help build healthy bodies and reduce the risk of developing certain diseases.
• Fruit provides nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that benefit the body.
• Fruits are nutrient-dense. ("Nutrient-dense" means foods rich in nutrients)
• Fruit is a GO food.

Introduction/Discussion

Welcome families with name stickers and hello song. Ask children and adults to name their favorite fruit and when they like to eat it. Ask children to describe their favorite fruit. Introduce descriptive vocabulary to help identify colors and textures (i.e., bumpy, smooth, sweet, hard, soft).
Discuss where fruit comes from, how fruit is natural and grows on plants/trees/vines. It is important to discuss the multiple benefits of fruits: not only is it very beneficial to the body, filled with many good nutrients, making people feel good and helping us grow, BUT it is also sweet and juicy, fun to eat, and is a GO food snack! 

Art Activity

Model Magic Fruit Baskets
Using model magic and watercolors, children and adults will create a healthy fruit basket. Children will explore texture, shapes, size and colors. Laminated pictures of fruit, as well as fruit samples, will be available to help introduce new fruits and build vocabulary.

Materials

Model magic, watercolors and large brushes, large popsicle sticks, small paper bags

Set-up

Form balls of Model Magic (can be a little bigger than a golf ball).Place one ball of Model Magic at each seat. Place watercolor trays in front of each seat as well. Use a small amount of water in water cups or take a sponge or paper towel and squeeze water onto the watercolors, making them easier to use. Place a paint brush next to each watercolor tray. Use the large paint brushes for the younger children. It will be easier for them to hold. Have extra balls of model magic ready in case a child needs more. When children are done with their project, place projects on top of a paper bag and write the child’s name on the bag. Children will be able to transport their creation home in the bag when it is time to leave. Have a marker on hand to write the children’s names on the bags.

Clean-up

Give children a five minute warning. Always let children know that you will be transitioning and ending the project soon. After the warning, sing a clean –up song to focus children and encourage participation in the clean-up process. One example: “Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me. Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me.”

You may use the books before or after the art projects to encourage the themes explored.
Sweet as a Strawberry by Sally Smallwood
Red Ripe Strawberry by Don Wood
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Perfect Portion 

Learn about the importance of portion control to maintain a healthy weight.

Key Teaching Messages

• Correct serving sizes will give your body the amount of calories and nutrients that it needs to live and grow.
• Getting the right amount of healthy nutrients is critical to a child’s healthy brain and body growth. 

Introduction/Discussion

Welcome families with name stickers and hello song. Educator will begin discussion with review of previous classes. Questions like: Why do we eat? (Nutrients help to grow, learn and play!) What is good for us? (Fruits and vegetables!) What is not so good for us? (High-sugar food/drinks Educator can add foods like potato chips and fatty foods.) SO, if you know some things are better for you and worse for you, of which should we eat more? (Fruits and vegetables!) Using the portion plates, educator will show families how fruits and vegetables are half of what they should be eating. Reinforce messages like GO! foods. Introduce the concept of “portion” and how a “portion” is the amount of a food that you choose to eat for a meal or snack. Educator will then explain that each body requires certain nutrients. Educators will discuss the importance of proper “serving sizes” in creating a balanced meal. Understanding serving size will help families understand portion control, just like the portion plate will remind families to eat fruits and vegetables at meals. (Educator can note to parents that The Nutrition Facts label, located on foods lists the nutrients found in a serving size.)

Art Activity

Balanced Meal Plate
Children and adults will create a healthy, appropriately-sized plate of colorful food with Model Magic, yarn and corrugated paper that will serve as a creative and fun reminder of portion control and a healthy balanced meal.

Materials

Paper plates, glue, craft sticks, model magic, markers and yarn.  You may also use our very special portion placemat.

Set-up

Place a piece of tape on the back of the plates so they can stick to the table. Remember to have pre-cut strips of masking tape available. Fill glue cups half full with white glue. Place a glue cup at each seat and a craft stick next to each glue cup. Place a golf ball size of Model Magic at each seat. Spread one or two handfuls of yarn on the table. along with markers. Have a marker in hand to write the children’s names on their art work. Designate an area for the art projects to dry.

Clean up

Give children a five minute warning. Always let children know that you will be transitioning and ending the project soon. After the warning, sing a clean-up song to focus children and encourage participation in the clean-up process. One example: “Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me. Clean up, clean up, one, two, three. I’ll help you and you help me.”

You may use the books before or after the art projects to encourage the themes explored.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Valeri Gorbachev
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola