Programming with food: You either love it or hate it. It's an avenue you might not want to go down simply for fear of allergies. OR - with so many food insecure communities, you feel bad "wasting" food instead of eating it. The manual devotes an entire chapter to food programs, nutrition and wellness. Here are some highlights.
*STEM station activities - You can do a program about healthy food choices AND make it fun by doing station activities. Pages 159-162 have ideas.
*Smell-O-Rama, The manual suggest cutting up foods with distinct smells, but you could also use scratch and sniff stickers instead. They're cheap and not messy!
*Rethink your Drink - make a bulletin board, or have kids guess how many sugar cubes it would take to equal the amount of sugar in each drink. Predict, write, discuss = easy STEM activity!
*Make your own Soda - Use the recipe from the link above, the ideas outlined in the manual, or if you have your own Soda Stream, bring that in for fun.
*Jello - Have the kids make good ol' fashioned Jello - and then talk about the science behind it.
*Smell-O-Rama, The manual suggest cutting up foods with distinct smells, but you could also use scratch and sniff stickers instead. They're cheap and not messy!
*Rethink your Drink - make a bulletin board, or have kids guess how many sugar cubes it would take to equal the amount of sugar in each drink. Predict, write, discuss = easy STEM activity!
*Make your own Soda - Use the recipe from the link above, the ideas outlined in the manual, or if you have your own Soda Stream, bring that in for fun.
*Jello - Have the kids make good ol' fashioned Jello - and then talk about the science behind it.
Smash your Food is a game played on a computer, or as an app. It's educational AND gross, so it's sure to be a hit. Check it out if you want to add some multi-media fun.
The Food N' Me website also has some other fun, food related games.
What else? Soup can bowling (pg. 151), Souped-up Stilts (pg. 151), Pea Pod Pandemonium (pg. 151) Images can all be found (with links) on our Pinterest page.
Don't forget that food pantry's are often low on supplies during the summer, so a food drive during the summer is always a good idea. Call your local pantry and see what they need most, and help your community focus on those needs.
