Healthy Bodies Activities

Activities:

1. Bodies Change and Grow

Three times throughout the school year take pictures of each child in class. Post the pictures on a bulletin board. At the end of the year mount all three pictures in a sequence on construction paper.

"Can you see how much I have grown?"

Designate one door as a giant measuring post. Measure each child within the first couple of months. Use different colored masking tape to indicate each child's height. Remeasure twice within the year. Each time you measure use a different color tape to demonstrate the child's growth throughout the year.

2. Some Parts of Our Bodies are Different and Unique

How are you the same? How are you different? Use small non breakable mirrors. Instruct the children to look closely at their faces. Have them check out the color of their eyes and the color and texture of their hair. Then instruct children to draw their own faces.

Give each child a card (4" by 6" works well) with a drawing of eyes on it. For homework have children color their eyes like their own and return the card to class. Assemble a picture bar graph according to eye color. Compare and discuss.

3. Your Fingerprints are Different From Everyone Else's in the World

Using a stamp pad and index cards, select 3 to 5 children daily to have their thumb prints made. Provide children with a large magnifying glass (note: preferably one on a stand). Have children examine the differences between their thumbprints and their classmates thumbprints. Continue throughout the week until all children have had their prints made and have had the opportunity to study them using the magnifying glass.

4. Making Healthy Snacks

Friendship Salad. Have each child bring his/her favorite fruit to share. Graph the real fruit on a large piece of butcher paper, placing all apples together, oranges, etc. Using plastic knives for cutting and paper plates for cutting boards, prepare a fruit salad that can be eaten at snack time with yogurt. Be vigilant about hand washing and no tasting while preparing.