Stretch and Discuss Nutritious Foods

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!

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.

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!)