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Health & Nutrition Activities for Kids

Health and nutrition are important concepts to teach at an early age to children. As of 2008, over 19 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years old are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Schools rarely spend much time on these crucial topics. You can assist their learning by creating fun activities that also teach lifelong lessons. The activities should teach the kids how their bodies work and what they need to do to keep them healthy.

  1. Olympics for Kids

    • Use household items to create an Olympic style race track for the children. Use small boxes for a hurdle race. Use desks, tables and chairs to make an obstacle course race. See which kids can throw a softball or football the farthest. Use a long sturdy rope for a tug of war contest. The ideas are endless. Provide healthy snacks such as bananas, oranges and apples during the events, and have kids drink plenty of water.

    Food Journal

    • Have kids use a notebook to make a list of everything they eat each day. Discuss with the kids which foods are healthy and which are not. Give students a point for each healthy food on their list. Offer an extra point for drawing a picture of food they ate. At the end of a week give students small prizes based on how many points they accumulated.

    Grow a vegetable garden

    • Let the children help create a garden based on a list of vegetables that can grow in your area. Teach the kids nutritional benefits of each vegetable. Help them plant, water, maintain and harvest the crops. The kids can learn plenty of information about their favorite vegetables by the end of the summer.

    Grocery Store Treasure Hunt

    • Take the children to the grocery store the next time you go shopping. Show and explain to the children how nutrition labels work. Have them look at the ingredients and nutritional information of their favorite products as you put them in the cart. Ask them to compare products to see which are healthy and which are junk food. Reward the kid who can find the healthiest food with a healthy treat or a toy.

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