fitCLUB

Stretch and Discuss Nutritious Foods

Kids practice mindful breathing and stretching during this activity. Next, they learn healthy eating tips about making nutritious food and beverage choices.

Kids listening to an adult giving them exercise tips
Group of kids writing ideas on paper
Kids running and playing outside
Kids doing exercises in gym
Group of kids playing a game on a grassy field
Group of kids doing mindful breathing while sitting with legs crossed
Home fitClub Session 4-Healthy Eating Fuels Healthy Habits S4 Activity 6 Stretch and Discuss Nutritious Foods

Activity Purpose

Kids quietly recharge with mindful breathing and stretching while they discuss healthy eating tips.

Objectives

  • Recognize that your mood (feelings and emotions) can influence your food and beverage choices throughout the day.
  • Use a stoplight as a tool to make food and beverage choices.
  • Recall "Think fit. Be fit!" as a cue for "know your mood" and "make a healthy choice."

Preparation

  • Talk Time: Kids sit and stretch or stand and march in place. Be sure they are a safe distance (arm’s length) apart.
  • Activity: Have Recharge Activity Cards ready to use. Print the Session 4 Challenge and My fit Thoughts for each fitClub member. If using music, have the player and music accessible and ready to play.
  • Wrap Up: Kids sit a safe distance apart for group discussion.

Talk Time

Introduction

Q: You get home from school and it's two hours until dinner. You are really hungry! Name some nutritious food choices you can make.
A: Answers can vary. Correct responses are a green-light food, water, or milk.

Q: You get home from school and are feeling bored. Is eating a green-light food a nutritious choice?
A: Trick question! Before looking in the cupboard, check your mood. Green-light foods are great when you are hungry, but if you are bored it is better to move or do a relaxing activity.

Check your mood before you grab a snack!

Do The Activity

Activity Instructions
  1. Kids sit, close their eyes, then take 3 deep breaths. Breathe in through the nose and fill the belly up like a balloon for a count of 6. Slowly exhale through the mouth for a count of 6.
  2. Ask for 3 volunteers; each chooses 1 Recharge Activity Card.
  3. Demonstrate how to do the stretching movement on each card. Continue the breathing pattern. 
  4. Continue stretching through Wrap Up and Reflection.

Wrap Up

Reflections

Q: What are some useful things you learned today about the connection between food and the other parts of fit?
A: Answers to include:

  • Feelings and emotions can trick you into thinking you are hungry. 
  • You can use a stoplight as a tool to think your food:
    • Green-light foods are “Eat More” foods: great fuel for your body.
    • Yellow-light foods are “Eat Some” foods: a little/not often foods.
    • Red-light foods are “Eat Less” foods: stop and think before you eat.
    • And don't forget to make healthy beverage choices! Choose water or milk.

Distribute pencils and My fit Thoughts to check for understanding and readiness to make fit choices. This will provide you with information about how well the kids are understanding the fit concepts as well as their learning needs. Remind kids that there are no right or wrong answers. Read the questions aloud:

  1. Circle the icon that represents the fit session you learned about. For this session, circle "Food."
  2. What did you learn about in the fit section you circled above? Write down something you learned today.
  3. What is one fit choice you plan to make this week?
  4. On a scale from 1 to 5, how easy will it be to complete the fit choice you made in question 3? Put an X over "Super Easy," "Easy," "Doable," "Difficult," or "Super Difficult."
Challenge

Thank you for coming today. We had fun learning more about food and the connection to the other parts of fit. Here is your challenge to help you make healthy choices until the next session. (Distribute the Session 4 Challenge for kids to take home.)

Closing

Do the fit-Chant! 

Leader: Think fit. (Pointer finger pointed at brain.) 
Kids: Know your mood! (Pointer finger pointed at brain.) 

Leader: Be fit! (Show thumbs up!)
Kids: Make a healthy choice! (Show thumbs up!)

Next Session

Time: 10 Minutes

What You'll Need

Resources
Materials
  • Music
  • Markers or Pencils
  • Timer
Helpful Tips

Related Content

Healthy Food Basket

 Grades 4-6

Help kids dig deeper into food choices and healthy eating tips by learning to identify food and drinks that are more or less nutritious for their bodies.

Learn More

Session 5 Welcome

 Grades 4-6

Kids share about how fitClub helps them learn more about making healthy lifestyle choices like: recharge, mood, food, and movement to develop good habits.

Learn More

Move Brainstorm Race

 Grades 4-6

Brainstorming activity for helping kids understand how movement strengthens the body and brain. Kids learn tips for fitting regular movement into their day.

Learn More

Don't Just Sit There

 Grades 4-6

Kids practice recognizing feelings and emotions that set their moods and affect their choices. Then, a game helps them manage their moods through activity.

Learn More

Talk and Sing

 Grades 4-6

Kids talk about the benefits of physical activity and learn how they can talk and sing to help decide if their movements are low, moderate, or vigorous.

Learn More

Stretch and Discuss Physical Activity

 Grades 4-6

Kids play a game to learn about the connection between energy level and the desire to move. Kids will discover fun movement ideas to support a healthy body.

Learn More