Kindergartners are at an appropriate age to learn about healthy eating concepts. Simply telling kindergartners what to eat is unlikely to build a lifelong understanding of healthy food choices. Introducing some entertaining activities into your classroom will enable you to illustrate nutrition concepts in age-appropriate ways that encourage understanding and retention of the material.
Make a Plate
Introduce the idea that meals should include several different healthy foods. Ask children to share some of the meals they eat at home and discuss what foods are healthy choices and what foods are unhealthy choices. After the discussion, give each student a blank paper plate, a pair of scissors, a bottle of glue and a stack of magazines. Encourage each student to cut out some different foods from the magazines to build a healthy meal. Remind students to include a fruit or vegetable, a protein and a grain, such as rice or pasta. Have each student share his meal at the end of the lesson.
Plant a Garden
Showing kindergartners how to plant seeds and reap the benefits of their harvest will teach important concepts about eating a plant-based diet and consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables each day. Staci Nix notes in her book, "Williams' Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy," that planting a school garden expands the variety of produce kindergartners are willing to eat. If your school has space to plant a few tomatoes or beans, take students outside and work together to create and tend the garden. If space is limited, bring some pots into the classroom and plant a garden in individual containers. Place them outside and make tending them part of your school day.
Taste Tests
Many children are reluctant to try new foods. Organizing a taste test can be an entertaining way to encourage kindergartners to sample foods they may not have tried before. Check to ensure that none of your students has food allergies before beginning this nutrition activity. Choose a variety of foods, such as kiwi, papaya, eggplant, sweet potato, dried fruit, cooked shrimp, rye bread cubes and cheese. Tell students what each food is and provide a bite-size piece for everyone to try. Ask students to raise their hand if they like the new food. To encourage parents to expand what they serve their children, have each student keep a checklist of what they did and did not like and send it home with students.
Nutrition Journals
Nutrition curricula often include charts and checklists so that students can keep track of what they eat each day. Most kindergartners are not able to read and write well enough to keep this type of journal, but they are capable of counting and drawing pictures. Provide students with several sheets of paper with room to draw many different foods. Separate the paper into five sections so that kindergartners can keep track of what they eat from each food group. Discuss what foods belong to each group and have students fill in their breakfast and lunch choices, as well as any snacks they eat throughout the school day. Send the paper home to record dinner. Review the journals the following day so that students get a visual reminder to eat many healthy foods.
References
- "Williams' Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Staci Nix; 2005
- "Nutrition Education: Linking Research, Theory, and Practice"; Isobel R. Contento; 2010
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