Health & Hygiene

Health & Hygiene

Opening Ceremony
- Steam Off or Name Game
Hand Washing and Germs
- Discussion about germs and how our immune system helps fight them off
- Glitter Hand Washing Demonstration (If you don't have access to a sink, you can bring a handwashing station to the park.
- Aerosol spread and why it's important to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze and wear a mask if we have a cold.
Eating Healthy
- Water
  - Water should be your number one drink
  - Life can not exist without water
  - People can survive without food for weeks, but dehydration is deadly after just a couple of days.
  - Drinking water helps your joints stay healthy, is good for your teeth, helps your blood circulation, and helps maintain concentration and focus
  - Kids generally need to drink around 5 cups of water per day, and kids need around 7 cups of water per day from all sources
  - If it is very hot or you are doing a lot of physical activity you will need more water
- Variety
  - Eating a variety of foods helps you get all the nutrients you need
  - This is especially important for fruits and veggies
- Balanced Meals & Snacks
  - Protein
    - Important building block for growing bodies!
    - Found in dairy, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes
  - Fat
    - Helps us feel full, slow the absorption of carbs, concentrated energy, makes our brains work, allow us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins
    - Found in avocados, eggs, oils, nuts, seeds, & whole milk dairy
  - Carbohydrates
    - Give us energy
    - Found in cereals & grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and more!
    - 3 types: fiber, starch, & sugars
      - Fiber is non-digestible but helps your digestive system work.
      - Starch is a complex carbohydrate that is a good source of energy. They take longer to break down so provide more energy for longer than simple carbs.
        
        Many foods that are high in starch are also high in fiber.
      - Sugars are simple carbohydrates that break down quickly to be used as energy.
  - Micronutrients
    - These are molecules like vitamins, calcium, and iron that we don’t need a lot of, but they are really important to have enough of! They help our bodies do a variety of things. Most people get enough of these nutrients through a balanced diet, but sometimes people take a supplement.
    - Fruits and Veggies are great to get these in your diet
- Reduce Added Sugar
  - Reduce sugars when possible, but it’s ok to have sweets and treats on occasion!
- Be Intentional
  - Think about what you’re eating and make healthy choices
  - Pay attention to your body and know when you are hungry and when you are full
Rainbow Snack Activity
- Ask the kids which are their favorite foods and which foods they don't like so much.
- Have they ever tried something new even though it felt a little scary?
Healthy Habits
- All bodies are good bodies! It's important to take care of yours and treat it with kindness.
- Get enough sleep - Otters need about 10.5 hours a day
- Limit screen time
- Take care of your mental health as well as your physical health
- Eat healthy foods (like the ones you just tried!)
- Stay hydrated
- Stay active during the day through playing, sports, or activities
Physical fitness activity
- Do some activities like jumping rope, running around, doing hula hoop, skipping, or stretching/yoga
- Have the kids feel their pulse before and after doing the exercises
- Do different kinds of exercises make you feel different?
Mindfulness
- Do a mindfulness exercise (like the ones in the book Breathe Like a Bear)
Closing Ceremony

Related Activites:

Glitter Hand Washing Demonstration

Items Needed:

Glitter
Handwashing Station with Warm Water and Soap
Fruits and Veggies for Rainbow Snacks
Jump Rope and/or Hula Hoop
Breathe Like a Bear or other mindfulness book

Badge Requirements Covered:

Safety Badge

Health & Hygiene

Blue Activity Paw

Physical Fitness

otter, health and hygiene, physical fitness

Table of Contents

Health & Hygiene

Related Activites:

Items Needed:

Badge Requirements Covered:

Safety Badge

Blue Activity Paw