Children in Liverpool will be spearheading a revolution in early years nutrition - as the city launches a pioneering active guide to healthy eating.
From tomorrow over 12,000 kids, aged 3-5 years-old, are to explore the fascinating world of food thanks to a dynamic pack with the focus on fun using games, play, song and dance to promote the best habits of growing, cooking and eating.
''Yum, Yum, Yummy – Healthy Food, All Year Round'' will offer Early Years workers an abundance of creative ideas, suggestions and top tips from simple recipes to ‘take it home’ activities, engaging children in the British growing season and focuses on foods from around the world.
This very tasty pack is being provided as a free resource for more than 300 Early Years settings, such as nurseries and children’s centres, with over 1,000 nursery workers and reception teachers will be trained to promote its benefits.
Fun lessons include:
Try ‘Orange Squashing’ – and count how many oranges you need to squish to fill your cup
Sing the apple song and then munch and crunch on your favourite autumnal snack
Dance yourself from seed to sunflower
Imagine a perfect picnic and pack your hamper!
This joyful and creative resource has been developed collaboratively in Liverpool by arts and health organisation Squash Nutrition, Sportslinx and Liverpool Early Years Foundation Stage Team.
The nutritional guide will complement the UK's first, free under-5 active programme which Liverpool city council's Sportslinx team launched in all of the city's Lifestyle leisure centres earlier this year.
Councillor Keith Turner, Executive Member for Education, said: ''It is vital that we teach children from the youngest age possible how to lead a healthy life and this fun food pack will be key to that drive in Liverpool. Combined with our Futures programme Liverpool is now the UK leader in tackling youth obesity and we are already being inundated with requests from other councils eager to follow in our footsteps - which can only be good for children across the country.''
The activities in 'Yum, Yum, Yummy' provide opportunities to develop enabling skills including social, practical, creative, linguistic, numerical and scientific. There are practitioner-led sessions, child-initiated activities, ideas for food-focussed trips and ideas to send home for the family.
Liz Lamb, Sportslinx Manager for Liverpool City Council, said: ''The aim of the pack is to provide the inspiration, information and tools to make healthy food an active part of Early Years provision that will enthuse and engage everyone from teachers and children to parents. Obesity is a proven killer and encouraging children to learn about healthy food in a fun and playful way can have huge consequences for their future well being.''
The pack was written and illustrated by Clare Owens and Becky Vipond who lead arts and health initiative Squash Nutrition.
The Squash team comprises of artists, teachers, youth workers, gardeners and nutritionists of all ages and from diverse backgrounds.
Moores brothers return home
(Wed 23/05)
Liverpool to set sail with cruise terminal joy
(Tue 22/05)
Post a comment