Sing and Dance to Good Food Songs
Find songs with lyrics that promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle. If you can’t find music in your local retail store, there are some great offerings available for young children online. Music CDs like “Smart & Tasty, “Bon Appetite,” “Groovin’ Foods,” or “Smart Fruit & Veggie Songs,” can be found with a simple internet search. Be prepared to pass the potato, count the bananas, scissor kick your celery sticks, interact with your children, have fun, and basically act like a fool.
Explore Healthy Foods Through Books
Find coloring books or read books that introduce fruits and vegetables as characters, or have interesting stories that revolve around healthy foods. Books such as “I Will Not Ever Eat a Tomato,” “Counting Pumpkins,” “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “Food for Thought,” and “Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z” make for some great fun and educational reading. A great resource for nutrition and health education books for children is www.neatsolutions.com.
Plan a Craft Activity
Let your child design something artistic such as a paper craft that can be displayed on the refrigerator, pasta art on a plate, or a personalized placemat that can be laminated for repeated use. Some web pages offer free downloadable or printable activities that engage children. Search for your favorites or visit www.5aday.org, www.dole5aday.com, and www.nutritionexplorations.org for some interesting offerings.
Play Fun Games That Involve Healthy Eating
Children who have fun with healthy foods are more likely to want to taste them. Instead of “Duck, Duck, Goose,” play “Grape, Grape, Juice.” Play target practice by tossing play foods into grocery paper bags. Let your children select from their play food and serve you a nutritious meal.
Play verbal “I spy a color” games and board games that promote healthy eating and educate young children about good food choices. The Produce for Better Health Foundation at www.5aDay.org offers “The Fruit and Veggie Race” board game for all ages.
Empower your young children to be agents of change in and away from home. They will not only eat better, they will inspire others to do the same.
Angela Russ is a mother, artist, educational trainer, and award-winning producer of music for young children. She presents music & movement to teachers nationwide, is a member of the Recording Academy, and is sole owner of the Russ InVision record label. For more information on Angela visit www.abridgeclub.com. © 2006, Russ InVision. All rights reserved.
