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:
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