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Louisiana Action for Healthy Kids - Team Nutrition
Host a Healthful Party - Activity 1
Activity 1: Plan a Happy, Healthful Party
Consider the following suggestions:
- Plan several contrasting activities – active and quiet, indoor and outdoor, individual and group. Examples include hula-hoop, frisbee, and balloon toss, etc.
- Try something NEW. Children like adventure. In addition to familiar games and foods, offer something new.
- Plan creative experiences such as art, music, and cooking. Party ideas include the following:
- Play Name that Tune using familiar holiday songs.
- Design a placemat for a holiday celebration.
- Practice throwing styrofoam "snowballs" into a basket or bucket.
- Create "gingerbread" houses using milk cartons covered with brown construction paper. Decorate with a variety of candies, fruits, icing, fabric scraps, etc.
- Make nutritious treats for the birds by "painting" pinecones with peanut butter and rolling them in birdseed. Use these with popcorn and cranberry strings to decorate a tree for the birds.
- Involve the students in planning and preparing the party. Let them make decorations and favors.
- Put food in its proper place. Refreshments should complement the fun, but should not become the "main event.”
- Be sure that each child receives a prize or favor, if such rewards are given.
- Don’t use food as rewards or prizes, which can lead to associating eating certain foods with emotions. Some individuals use food to satisfy emotional needs, a practice that can lead to overeating and eating disorders.
- Choose foods for fun, good taste and health. Parties that feature healthful foods provide opportunities for children to practice making wise food choices and contribute toward meeting their required servings of the Food Guide Pyramid. Additional healthy party ideas include graham crackers, oatmeal raisin cookies, and fruit juice popsicles.
- Ask plenty of adults to supervise and join the fun.
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