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Spring 2008
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Children's
Books Can Teach Nutrition and Fitness If
you are looking for an easy way to include some nutrition, fitness or
health information in your Cloverbud meetings, a children’s book
may be the way to go. Look for books at your local library that include
positive messages about nutrition and fitness. Michigan State University
Extension has developed a “Team Nutrition Booklist” that is
a great resource for all of us who work with youth and are interested
in reading and learning about healthy foods. This list includes books
with positive food, nutrition and physical activity messages for children
who are in kindergarten to second grade. It can be found at www.tn.fcs.msued.msu.edu/resources.html.
Books on the list are organized by themes, such as gardening, dairy, cooking,
pizza, keeping clean, manners, or dental health.
It is easy to build your Cloverbud meeting
around one of these books by reading the book, discussing the nutrition
or fitness message, and then playing a game or doing an activity that
is on a related topic. An example I have used is reading the book “Rabbit
Food” by Susanna Gretz. After you read the story to the group, do
the following:
discuss the importance of eating fruits and vegetables
have children say their favorite fruit or vegetable
discuss how many servings of fruits and vegetables are needed daily by
children
play a game about fruits and vegetables or
color pictures of fruits and vegetables
serve fruits or vegetables for your club refreshments
send home a fact sheet for parents about the importance of fruits and
vegetables in a
child’s
diet.
When looking for ideas to include, don’t
forget to check out the 4-H Cloverbud Kit “Food Fun”, it should
be available at your Ohio State University Extension Office.
Source: The Updated Michigan Team Nutrition Booklist, 2006,
Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
Lisa Barlage, Extension
Educator,
Family & Consumer
Sciences,
Ohio State University Extension,
Ross County, Ohio.
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Fitness
and Fun Go Together
An
apple a day keeps the doctor away. At least, that’s what the proverb
says. And it is true… eating right is one of the best ways to stay
healthy. But today, experts may want to add a few words to the old saying.
How does “an apple and a brisk walk a day keeps the doctor away.”
It doesn’t have the same rhythm, does it? But we know that it holds
more truth. Because health professionals today tell us that good nutrition
is only half the story of good health. The other half is physical exercise
and activity.
Cloverbud members (children 5-8 years
old) are at the perfect age to learn the importance of good nutrition
and physical activity. They are still eating what is presented to them
and don’t have the opportunity to go out and grab some fast food
on their own. They are extremely active so the idea of physical activity/exercise
doesn’t present any guilt feelings for them. Cloverbud volunteers
have great opportunities to talk to members about healthy choices. The
bigger challenge is to encourage them to keep their healthy choices as
they get older.
The new “Fitness is Fun” Cloverbud
kit can help volunteers as they present the important concept of physical
activity. Using ice breakers, songs, guest speakers, and games, Cloverbuds
will learn how easy it is to get in shape. The book, Get Up and Go by
Nancy Carlson is included in the kit and presents a myriad of fun ways
to be physically fit. Cloverbud members will love the pictures of rabbits,
dogs, and pigs as they find ways to be active. Twelve bean bags come with
the kit along with game ideas such as bean bag bowling in which Cloverbuds
knock down 2-liter pop bottles and bean bag golf where Cloverbuds try
to throw the bags into milk jugs and other containers. A CD called “Bean
Bag Activities & Coordination Skills” is included which is full
of movement activities using bean bags.
"Half Pint Skillastics” by Sandy
“Spin” Slade, Inc. is in the kit and provides great ways to
not only get kids exercising, but also to put them in leadership positions
as they learn new movements and present them to each other. The kit also
includes a Teacher’s Guide with a lesson plan, objectives, and other
ways to encourage Cloverbuds to be active.
The “Fitness is Fun” kit is
the perfect partner to the 2006 “Food Fun” kit. It also gave
volunteers ideas for games, books, and other activities using MyPyramid
and other nutrition information. Both of these kits (and two others) have
been made available by generous grants from the 4-H Foundation. You can
borrow any of the kits from your local Ohio State University Extension
office.
Janine
Yeske
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
OSU Extension, Jefferson County, Ohio.
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Healthy
Snacks for 4-H Club Meetings
Are
you in charge of the snack for your 4-H club meeting? Opening a bag of
chips and adding a glass of pop isn’t the answer. It’s okay
to have these foods once in a while, but focus most of your snacks on
healthy choices. Chips, pop and foods like cookies, candy, and flavored
drinks have a lot of calories from fats and sugars, but few vitamins and
minerals. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
*** Snacks
should be a part of our daily meal plan. This means that they should be
nutritious!
*** Choose
snacks from one or more of the food groups- grains, vegetables, fruits,
milk
and meat.
*** Be a role
model for your members. When it’s your turn to bring the snack,
make it
a healthy one.
*** Talk about
healthy snacks during one of your first meetings of the year. If you have
older club members who take nutrition projects, this would be a good demonstration
for them to share.
*** If members
are bringing the snack encourage them to think of MyPyramid as they
plan their snacks.
Here’s a quick and easy snack idea
that’s sure to hit the spot on a hot summer day. It includes foods
from two food groups.
Fresh Fruit Smoothies
2 c. fresh strawberries or other fruit in season
2 c. vanilla yogurt
2 c. low-fat milk
Wash the strawberries and remove green caps.
Put all ingredients in a blender.
Blend on high speed until smooth.
Make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until serving for a cool
refreshing treat.
Serves 4 – 6.
Other simple ideas include celery stuffed
with peanut butter and topped with raisins (ants on a log), trail mix
made from ready-to-eat whole grain cereals mixed with raisins or cranberries,
sliced fresh fruit, cheese and apple slices or air popped popcorn with
100% juice.
Reference: http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/
Cindy
Oliveri
Extension Specialist, Family & Consumer Sciences
OSU Extension Center at Piketon, Ohio.
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Campus
Connections
Hello Ohio
CloverBudders! It feels good to make another 4-H Cloverbud Connection
with you!
Let’s talk about one of our life
skill goals for the 4-H Cloverbud Program - physical mastery!! Physical
mastery refers to the development of physical motor skills such as locomotor,
stability, and manipulative skills. Physical mastery life skills are just
as important as our other life skill areas of getting along with others,
decision making, learning to learn, and self esteem. Since children develop
as whole individuals, all domains of child development matter (social,
emotional, thinking, and yes, the physical domain). For example, if a
child is not able to be physically active, they may feel bad about themselves
(emotional), have difficulty making friends (social), and lack ability
to concentrate in school because they are distracted (thinking).
Take a look at the motor-skill themes (Staley
and Portman, 2000) below and incorporate them into your 4-H Cloverbud
activities as we enhance physical mastery life skills for Ohio’s
4-H Cloverbud members.
Locomotor
Stability
Manipulative
walk
turn
throw
run
wiggle
catch
gallop
twist
volley
leap
balance
kick
hop
stretch
strike
slither
curl
dribble (feet)
creep
dribble
(hands)
tip toe
Thanks for all you do as a 4-H Cloverbud
volunteer to help improve the lives of children throughout Ohio!!
Scott
D. Scheer, Ph.D.
State Extension Specialist, Preadolescent Education
4-H Youth Development, The Ohio State University
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Banana-Graham
Snack
This
is a fun and easy recipe to get Cloverbuds involved in food preparation.
While planning your club meeting, double check to make sure that no one
is allergic to nuts.
Ingredients:
Graham crackers
Peanut butter
Bananas
Slice the bananas and set them aside. Spread
a layer of peanut butter on a graham cracker square. Place a layer of
sliced bananas on top of the peanut butter. Top with another graham cracker
square. Serve with a glass of milk. Enjoy!
Joyce
Shriner, Extension Educator,
FCS/County Extension Director,
OSU Extension, Hocking County, Ohio
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