Family Activities

Protein Moves and Sounds

Have your kids stand up. Tell them about what makes each protein healthy and then have them act it out.
For example:

• "The iron in beef helps keep you from getting tired. What does a cow say?"
• "Chicken gives you strong muscles and bones! What does a chicken say and do?"
• "Some fish have lots of healthy fat that are good for your heart. How do fish swim? What does a school of fish swim like?"
• "Pork gives you lots of energy! What sound does a pig make? What does a pig look like?"
• "Beans have lots of protein and fiber. Show me how a bean stalk grows!"
• "Nuts are good for your heart. Go nuts!"

Capture and Healthy Proteins Card

This should be played with a big group of kids. Divide the group into two teams. Give each team a note card and help them fill it with facts about healthy proteins. Each team should establish a "base" on their side of the room. The objective is to capture the other team's note card from their base, and bring it safely back to their own base. Opposing players can be "tagged" by players in their home territory; these players are then out of the game and it's up to the remaining players to capture the card. Once captured, the winning player reads the card aloud to the group.

20 Questions

Give each kid a note card and pen and ask them to write down a meal cooked with their favorite healthy protein from the list below (example, spaghetti made with ground turkey). Then have the rest of the group ask the card holder yes or no questions about the characteristics of the meal until someone can guess what it is. Each person gets a turn as the card holder. It might also be fun to play music in the background during the game.

• Healthy proteins list: Salmon, trout, herring, cod, catfish, chunk light tuna, lean beef, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of pork, nuts and seeds, beans and eggs.

Name It

Make sure each kid has a sheet of paper and pen. They should write down their whole name and using only the letters in their first, middle and last name, come up with examples of healthy proteins - it can be as simple as "bean," or a dish made with healthy proteins such as "chili" (for its beans and meat). If they need help, they can get into pairs and use both peoples' names combined. To extend the game, kids can use names of their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, or pets.

Oatmeal Container Crafts
Save two emtpy oatmeal cylinders. Help your kids wrap their cylinder in construction paper with glue or tape.

1. Birdhouse. Cut a hole into each cylinder, about 1 ¼ inches in diameter and halfway down. Using a pencil, poke a small hole under the bird entrance to create a perch, and glue it into the container. Using a hole punch, punch two holes into the top of the container across from each other. Tie string to each hole and then together at the top so it can hang from a tree. Encourage your child to paint or color their container. You could even talk them about what birds eat and ask them what their favorite breakfast is! Now they can hang it outside for the birds!
2. Kitchen Utensil Holder. After each container is covered in construction paper, the children are free to color or paint their utensil holders! Put it on the kitchen counter and fill with spatulas, ladles, whisks, etc.!

Crafty with Grains
Provide sturdy paper, glue and a variety of whole grain pasta shapes for the children. Then have them create pictures by gluing whole grain pasta to the paper. This will also familiarize them with what whole grain pasta looks and feels like!

Good for Your Heart
Oats are a heart-healthy whole grain. Supply paper, glue, oats and glitter to the kids. Encourage them to paint a heart shape with glue and stick oats and glitter to it. As the kids are doing this craft, talk to them about why whole grains like oats can be good for their heart. When the kids are done, they can give their heart craft to someone they love.

Fruit or Veggie Day
For one week, dedicate each day to a certain fruit or veggie. The first letter of the day has to correspond to the fruit or veggie of the day. Allow your kids to eat the fruit or veggie of each day (if possible), draw a picture of it and talk about why it is good for them. They could also be asked to dress in the corresponding color.

For example:

• Mango Monday — Yellow
• Tangerine Tuesday — Orange
• Watermelon Wednesday — Pink
• Tomato Thursday — Red
• Fruit Salad Friday — Bright colors!

Spelling Bee
Write down as many fruit and vegetables as you can think of. Then, hold a spelling competition using only fruits and vegetable names. Start off easy and work your way up to the harder words like zucchini and cantaloupe.

Drop and Pop
On thin slips of paper, write why fruits and veggies are good for you — your kids can help with this. Insert one slip into each balloon and inflate. Children should get into pairs. Standing back to back, place one balloon between them. All teams must start at a starting line you've established, and shuffle their way to the finish line, making sure to keep the balloon secured between them. Any team that drops the balloon is out, and should pop their balloon and read the fruits and veggies fact that's inside aloud to the group. Play until all balloons are dropped and popped!

Mini Fruit Kabobs
Cut fruit such as melons, bananas and pears in bite size pieces. Give each child some fruit pieces and pretzel sticks. Have them spear on fruit like they are making kabobs. Each creation will be like little worms for them to munch up. They can also join two "worms" together with a piece of fruit for a longer creepy-crawler. Encourage the kids to use a variety of fruit on their kabob so they will learn to try new foods.

Show How They Grow
Fruits and veggies grow in lots of different ways. Discuss with your kids how some fruits and veggies grow on trees, vines or beneath the ground in a garden or farm. Orange trees sway in the wind, apples fall from trees, berries grow on a bush, carrots burst through the soil and grapes and tomatoes grow on a vine.
Have the kids stand up in the room and ask them to show you, in their own way, how fruits and veggies grow such as:

• Sway in the wind
• Fall from a tree
• Grow like a bush
• Burst through the soil
• Crawl like a vine

Banana Bug
Have your kids make legs and antennae by poking pretzel sticks into a peeled banana. Use peanut butter for eyes and for gluing on a raisin spine. (Use honey instead of peanut butter if you are concerned about peanut allergies.)

Pear Mouse
Cut a pear in half lengthwise with the flat side facing down. (You can also use canned pears). On the narrow end, cut two small holes in the pear and place dried cranberries or raisins for the eyes, thin slices of any vegetable for whiskers, and a long thin slice of banana for the tail.

Do You Eat Your Vegetables? (A song.)
Have your kids sing praise to veggies to the tune of "The Muffin Man."

Lyrics:
Oh, do you eat your vegetables, vegetables, vegetables?
Oh, do you eat your vegetables, each and every day?
Oh, yes we eat our vegetables, vegetables, vegetables,
Oh, yes we eat our vegetables, each and every day!

Then, ask your children in turn to name a vegetable then replace the child's name and the vegetable he or she has chosen:

Example: Oh, Bobby eats his broccoli, broccoli, broccoli. Bobby his eats broccoli... each and every day!

Fruits and Veggies Comic Book Characters
Have your kids create a fruit or veggie comic book character, then draw a picture of him/her. They can give the superfruit or veggie a cool comic book name like Citrus Woman, Ultra-Orange, Sonic Banana, Steel Celery, Karate Carrot or Atomic Apple. While they draw, discuss the source of their hero's superpowers: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, potassium, calcium, etc.

Fruits and Veggies: Twenty Questions
Have a fruit or veggie in mind, and have your kids guess what it is by asking twenty questions. Here are some examples to get them started: Is this fruit or veggie big or little? What color is it? What does the veggie taste like? What does it feel like? When someone guesses right, it's their turn to pick a fruit or veggie and have everyone else ask twenty questions.

Tossed Salad
Players sit on chairs in a circle, with one player, "The Grocer," in the center. The Grocer gives each of the others the name of a fruit or veggie. He/She then calls out the names of any two vegetables. The two players with these names quickly trade places, while the Grocer tries to steal one of their seats. Whoever does not find a seat becomes the Grocer for the next round. At any time, the Grocer may call out "Tossed Salad," and all the players scramble for new seats.

Biggest Orange Peel Smile
Slice an orange into fourths and eat the orange from the rind, leaving the outer peel. Use the peel pieces to cover your teeth. Now say cheese! You can also draw mouths onto the peels first – like shark teeth, fangs or fish lips.

Follow the Rainbow
Get a large white piece of paper and draw a rainbow on it. Give your kids pictures of yellow, green, red, orange, blue and purple fruits and veggies. Have them glue the fruit and veggie pictures on the rainbow to fill in all the colors. If you don’t have pictures,  have them draw fruits and veggies instead.

Fruit and Veggie Flower Fun
Make a bouquet of flowers that you can eat. You will need: Paper plates, broccoli florets, sliced tomatoes and sliced bell peppers. To make a broccoli and tomato flower, place a tomato slice in the middle of a plate and put broccoli florets around it. To make the tomato and bell pepper flower, place the tomato slice in the middle of a plate and surround it with bell pepper slices. Afterward, arrange the plates in a bouquet and enjoy a healthy snack!

Fruits and Veggie Have Families Too!
Gather up different forms of fruits and veggies. Set them all out on a table and have the children put them into “families.” See who can make the biggest family first, and explain how all forms of fruits and veggies count toward your health. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• One could be an apple, a gallon of 100% apple juice, a jar of applesauce, and a bag of dried apples
• Another could be a bunch of grapes, a gallon of 100% grape juice and a box of raisins
• Another could be a can of peas and frozen peas

Fruits and Veggies Picnic Fun
Play a fun memory game that’s all about fruits and veggies! The first child starts by saying “I’m going on a picnic and I am taking an apple.” The next child says the same but adds on another fruit or veggie. For example, "I’m taking an apple and a pear.” The game continues with each child stating what the one before them did, plus adding. See how long your children can go before forgetting the last list.

Fruits and Veggies Shopper Helper
Don’t just write a grocery list, draw a list! Have your kids draw the items with crayons and/or markers.

Guessing Game
Describe a fruit or veggie to your children. Talk about the color, smell, texture, and taste until they are able to guess. Award a winning answer with a fruit or veggie snack!

Paper Bag Coloring Contest
Turn kid’s love of fruit and veggies into an art. With a paper bag and crayons, ask your kids to decorate the bags with their favorite fruit and veggie. After, display the pictures in a "gallery" around the house.

Sculpt-a-Snack
Using colorful Play-Doh, have your kids sculpt the fruit or veggie they want to have as a snack. When someone guesses what it is, award the sculptor with the real, edible version.

Supermarket Scavenger Hunt
Pretend your kitchen is a supermarket. Hide fruits and veggies all over the "supermarket" and give your kids a "shopping list" and grocery sack. Whoever finds the most items on the list wins!

Milk, Milk, Moo
This is a take on "Duck, Duck, Goose." Children sit in a circle facing inwards with one player standing outside the circle. This player then walks around the circle, touching each player on the head and naming them "Milk." If at any point they name somebody "Moo," that player has to catch the other before they can reach the space "Moo" has just left.

I’m a Little Milk Jug
Children can sing and dance to this song, to the tune of "I’m a Little Teapot" (dance motions in parentheses).

First verse:
I’m a little milk jug,
Short and stout
Here is my handle (one hand on hip),
Here is my spout (other arm points to top of head)
When I get nice and cold,
Hear me shout
Just tip me over and pour me out (lean over)

Second verse:
I’m a clever milk jug,
Yes it’s true
Here let me show you
What I can do
I can change my handle
And my spout (switch arm positions)
Just tip me over and pour me out (lean over)

Grab a Carton
This is a fun game for a group of kids! Give each child in the game a washed, empty 1% milk carton or jug, either half or one gallon. Put the cartons on the floor, making sure there is one less carton than kids. As music plays everyone walks in a circle around the cartons. When the music stops, everyone must grab a carton. The child who hasn’t picked a carton is out. Each time a person is out, take another carton out from the center so that there is still one less carton than people. The winner is the child who stays in the game the longest.

How Low Can You Go?
Explain to your kids that this game is all about “going low,” which means drinking 1% milk. Have two children hold each end of a stick, such as a broom handle, about three feet from the ground. Have the other children line up and go under the stick by bending backward under it. Any child that touches the stick is out. Once everyone has had a turn, lower it about six inches and have them try again. Continue lowering the stick each round until there is only one player that can make it under the stick. Just how low can they go?

Milk Carton Relay
This is another fun activity for a group of kids. Divide the kids into two teams. Start at one end of the room and create a marker 20 feet away (a desk, or tape on floor). Give each team an empty 1% milk jug. Put enough sand or water in the bottom of each carton to add some weight to it, and replace the lid so it doesn’t leak. The first player in each team will place the carton on their head and race to the marker and back trying not to drop the milk jug. The first player will then pass the carton to the next teammate and so on, until the last team member crosses the finish line. First team to finish is the winner!

Aim Game
Arrange the empty milk cartons in a line. Make "rings" by connecting straws. Stand back and take turns seeing how many rings you can get around the cartons.

Bowling for Calcium
Place milk jugs in pyramid shape similar to bowling pins at one end of the living room. Stand on the other side. Using a tennis ball, have your kids knock down the milk jug bowling pins. The player who knocks down the most milk jugs wins.

Cheese Party!
Hold a cheese tasting party with lots of low fat milk on hand to drink. Set out cubes, slices, strings, or even cottage cheese. You can serve them on plates with apple slices and crackers. While the kids enjoy the taste-testing party, explain how milk comes from cows and how cheese comes from milk; most importantly, explain that cheese is just another way to get all the great benefits of milk!

Crazy Straw Game
Make the longest, craziest shaped straw that still works. Have each child assemble as many straws as possible in twisty, turny shapes. Have them use tape to seal up the straw connections so milk won’t leak so they can slurp up as much 1% low fat milk as possible.

Do the Milkshake!
Add a scoop of each child's milkshake flavor of choice (flavored powder in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry) to a water bottle filled with 1% low fat or fat free milk.  Put the cap on tightly, and have the kids shake, shake, shake their milk. Ask them to make up dances and songs that sing the praise of 1% low fat and fat free milk. Then, everybody enjoy the milkshakes!

Do the Moo!
Have a contest where kids are timed to see who can moo the longest. Congratulate the one who moos the longest and have lots of cups of 1% low fat and fat free milk to clear their throats!

Grow a Healthy Flower
Give each of your children one large, empty, plain, low fat yogurt container. Fill them with soil. Help them plant flower seeds and use the activity to explain the benefits of low fat milk and how it relates to healthy growth. Have your kids water the plants daily and watch them grow strong, just like people who drink low fat milk.

Milk It!
Sit in a circle with your children. Start a story about milk, saying about five or six words, such as “I like to drink milk because…” and then your child next to you continues the story where you left off. S/he might say “it tastes good, and….” And it continues all the way around the circle. Each child gets to say something about milk and it ends up being really fun and funny!

Milk Jug Catch
Cut the bottoms off of gallon milk jugs to make scoops, or "mitts." Stand three feet apart and toss a soft ball to each other, using the milk jug scoops.

Milk Toss
Cut the tops off of milk cartons and place them 5 feet apart from each other. Have your children line up and toss tennis balls into them. The child who can throw the tennis ball into the gallon without missing it five times in a row wins.

Picture of Health
Give your kids a stack of magazines, scissors and a list of prompter words (i.e. strong teeth, strong bones, more energy, creamy, cereal, low fat milk, low fat cheese, low fat yogurt, healthy, physical activity) and have them cut out pictures/ads or parts of pictures/ads that pertain to each word. Then give them a piece of construction paper and have them make a collage of their findings. Then display them on a wall and have a show-and-tell.

Pyramid Mixer
What other food groups pair well with 1% low fat milk and plain low fat yogurt? The fun is finding out! Give your kids some ideas and add a few of your own. Mixers like cereal, crumbled graham crackers, sliced fresh fruit, applesauce, nuts and raisins are delicious and easy ways to add pizzazz to low fat milk or plain low fat yogurt.

Stick the Spots on the Cow
Draw a large, spotless cow on white butcher paper, cut it out and tape it to a wall. Give your kids brown construction paper "spots," with low fat milk facts written on them. (They could make these themselves too). Blindfold them, spin them around and have them try to tape the spots on the cow. This will be funny for the whole family, because the spots will probably cluster in weird places. Each time a spot is placed on the cow, read the fact out loud to everyone.

Smoothie and Milksicle Party
With the help of your kids, blend a mix of fruits and low fat milk in a blender. Then pour the mixtures into ice cube trays with craft sticks. Because you'll have to wait a while to enjoy those, make another batch and add ice for a tasty and healthy treat the family can enjoy instantly.

Taste Test
Do a blind taste test of whole milk, 2%, fat free, and 1% low fat milk. See who can identify which is which. Everyone may be surprised by the results! Who says low fat doesn’t taste the same?

The Calcium is Right
Just like the game show "The Price is Right™," line up a display of foods containing calcium: whole milk, fat free milk, low fat milk, yogurt, low fat cheese, low fat cottage cheese, an orange, half a cup of broccoli and a corn tortilla. On slips of paper, mark the milligrams of calcium in each item and put them in an envelope. Tape the envelopes under each item. Make a game show of it, introduce the items, and have your kids write down their "guess" as to how much calcium is in each item. Then reveal the answers. The winner has the best guess.

Calcium information: whole milk (1 cup), 276 mg; fat free milk (1 cup), 306 mg; 1% low fat milk (1 cup), 290 mg; plain low fat yogurt (8 oz), 415 mg; low fat cheddar cheese (1 oz), 118 mg; low fat cottage cheese (1 cup), 138 mg; orange (1 medium), 52 mg; broccoli (½ cup raw), 20 mg. For more nutrient data, go to the Nutrient List from the USDA National Nutrient Database Online Search.

Tongue Twister Contest
Challenge your kids to say, "Mighty Mike mixes fat free milk in milk mixers" three times as fast as they can. The player who can say it the most times without jumbling the words wins a glass of 1% low fat milk!

Simon Says
Simon Says is a fun way for kids to learn and be active at the same time. Instead of just the usual commands, like "Simon Says touch your nose," use activities associated with a healthy lifestyle, like "go on a hike." The kids should only do the command when you say "Simon says." Here are some examples: Grow like a flower, go on a hike, kick a ball, ride a bike, water the plants, mix a salad, wash the veggies, pour a glass of milk.

Create Your Garden
Kids love to draw. This exercise lets children use their imagination to draw their ideal garden. Using crayons, markers, or paint, encourage your kids to draw a garden with their favorite fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants. Don't forget the sun and water. Ask them questions as they create their garden. Questions like, "Do apples grow on trees or vines?" or "Where do carrots grow?" This gives kids the chance to learn where fruits and veggies come from and ask questions if they don't know.

Family Activity Collage
Do you have old magazines at home? Have the kids look through magazines and newspapers to find pictures of things they like to do with your family. Children make a collage by cutting out and gluing pictures they find. After they finish making their collage, they can share their artwork with the rest of the family.

Create Your Own Story
This game allows children to use their imaginations and creativity. We've provided a list of words you can use for this game. Write a different word on each piece of paper and pass it out at the start of the game. Then sit in a circle with your kids. You will start the story off with a sentence. The child sitting next to you adds on to your story with a sentence of their own. The next child will add on to theirs. Continue going around the circle until you have made a fun, complete story. Here is a list of words you can use for this game: Hike, Cook, Run, Bike, Flowers, Soccer Ball, Grow, Fruits, Family, Park.

Last Letter Game
Play this as a family at the dinner table. Someone names a food, "apple" for example, the next person has to say a food starting with the last letter of "apple." So they say "egg," and the next person says "green pepper." And so on. See how long the game can last!

Lunch Munch
It’s time to rhyme. Have kids take turns rhyming a word with a food item. Players get bonus points for using two food items, i.e. cheese/peas. Here are some other examples: milk/silk, pear/chair, pickle/nickel, juice/goose. So if you have a word that rhymes with carrot, you better share it! Whoever gets the most rhymes wins.

Menu Maker
Have the kids design and create a restaurant-like menu with paper, markers and crayons. Make up meals with an item from each food group in MyPyramid.

Paper Plate Pyramid
Give each child a paper plate. Each child paints his/her plate with a healthy meals. Each meal needs to include one of every food group. After the paper plates are dry, display the plates and have a mini-art show.

What Food Am I?
Tape a picture of a food item on the back of your child(ren). Each child should not see what the food item is. Have he/she turn around and show the other children the picture. They then has to ask questions of the group until he/she can guess what food is on his/her back. Expect lots of laughs!

Some ideas to stay healthy as a family include:

Be a role model
Parents are the best role models. By leading an active life, you inspire your children to do the same. Praise, rewards and encouragement will help kids stay active.

Encourage your kids to enjoy activities with the family or on their own.
Suggest:

• Walking
• Playing chase
• Dancing

Make time for activity:

• Try to find at least three 30-minute slots for physical activity each week.
• Pick two of those slots as family activity times.

Put a two-hour limit on the time your kids spend...

• Watching TV.
  
  • Infants and toddlers under 2 should not watch TV at all.
• Playing video games.
• Using the computer.

Introduce your kids to a variety of activities

• Find recreational, team and individual sports they like.
• Help them try things that don't require fine athletic skills. Look for activities they can enjoy for life such as:
  
  • Jogging
  • Bicycling
  • Hiking
  • Swimming

Keep a family activity log on the refrigerator. This can encourage everyone to take part in keeping up the good work.

Choose family activities that can be done no matter the weather. These may include:

• Indoor facilities for:
  
  • Stationary cycling
  • Swimming
• Ice or roller skating
• Rock climbing
• Aerobic dance
• Movements to stretch or strengthen
• Stair climbing
• Rope skipping
• Mall walking

Other ways to help increase family fitness levels include:

• Taking family dog walks
• Finding easy, low-cost recreational programs and sports leagues
• Choosing fitness gilts like a jump rope, mini-trampoline, tennis racket, baseball bat or a gym membership.
• Assigning chores that require physical effort.
• Biking rather than driving to school, stores, and libraries.
• Supporting physical education and recess at school.

Before starting regular physical activity, talk to your doctor about the right levels for your family, especially if you have child with medical problems.