Healthy Habits – Younger Children – Taking Care of Myself
Preschoolers will test their theoretical knowledge about caring for health during the “True-False” game. They will practice and consolidate the correct habits and behaviors by performing a set of yoga exercises, preparing healthy finger food, as well as preparing clothes for a walk on their own.
Materials:
a song entitled ‘Hello!’, “Babula guess” items, for example soap, hairbrush, toothbrush, shampoo, sponge, fruit, vegetables, beanbag, skipping rope, disc etc., a song entitled “Healthy habits”, lollipops with thumbs, picture cards “Yoga”, a poem entitled “Healthy Habits Pledge”, ingredients for preparing finger food: vegetables, fruit, cheese, toothpicks, bowls.
Activity description:
1. ‘Hello!’ – greeting children with the song – children sit in a circle with their teacher. Teacher turns on the song and shows the correct movements. Children try to imitate them.
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
I’m good. (show one thumb)
I’m great! (show two thumbs)
I’m wonderful! (raise thumbs up)
I’m good. (show one thumb)
I’m great! (show two thumbs)
I’m wonderful! (raise thumbs up
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
I’m tired. (wipe forehead with a hand)
I’m hungry. (massage the belly)
I’m not so good. (wave index finger)
I’m tired. (wipe forehead with a hand)
I’m hungry. (massage the belly)
I’m not so good. (wave index finger)
2. “Touch and Guess” – didactic activity – teacher places various health-related items in the bag/box, children one by one put their hands into the bag/box, and using touch try to guess what an item is and what it is for. Keep playing until all the children take part in it.
3. “Healthy habits” – movement activity – children sing a song and imitate the activity according to the words of the song entitled “Healthy habits”.
4. “True-False” – didactic activity summarizing knowledge about health – children and their teacher sit in a circle on the carpet. Each child has two lollipops in front of him/her – with a thumb up and thumb down. Teacher reads the sentences one by one. If children believe that the sentence is true, they raise the lollipop with a thumb up, if the sentence is false, they raise the lollipop with a thumb down. If not all children picked up the appropriate lollipops, ask: Why did you choose it? Every time a sentence is false, talk about the correct answer.
The examples of sentences for the play:
- Bacteria are organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. (true)
- We dress appropriately for the season. (false – weather)
- Dairy products are white vegetables. (false – dairy products – milk, yoghurt, cheese, cottage cheese – sometimes eggs are included in dairy products)
- To have clean hair, we need to shampoo it. (true)
- We try to spend a lot of time actively outdoors. (true)
- Bacteria are found only in dirty places. (false – bacteria are everywhere – around us, on us, and even inside us. Many bacteria are very useful and needed)
- You should sneeze into the bent elbow. (true)
- We clean our teeth with soap. (false – toothpaste)
- Sleep is important to our health and well-being. (true)
- Watching TV for a long time is very healthy. (false – we can watch TV, but as short as possible, it’s better to go for a walk or playground)
- Healthy sandwiches contain plenty of vegetables. (true)
- We don’t need to sleep at night. (false – sleeping is very important)
- To be healthy you need to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. (true)
- When it’s snowing, put on sandals. (false – we put on sandals when it is warm, in winter we must have appropriate, closed, waterproof boots)
- In autumn we do not spend time outside. (false – physical activity in the open air is very important at any time of the year)
- Just rinse your hands with water to keep them clean. (false – we wash our hands thoroughly with soap)
- Sweets are very important for the health of children. (false – we should eat sweets very rarely, or even not at all)
- Bacteria spread from person to person. (true)
- If we don’t feel like it, we don’t have to take a bath or shower. (false – you should shower or bathe to wash away all unnecessary and pathogenic bacteria)
- Moving is healthy. (true)
5. “Yoga” – a set of gymnastic exercises – children perform gymnastic exercises according to the picture cards.
6. “Healthy Habits Pledge” – learning a poem – children sit comfortably in a circle and teacher reads the poem. Then, teacher talks with preschoolers about the pledge. After that, children repeat after teacher the lyrics of pledge.
Healthy Habits Pledge
I pledge to stay healthy and clean
through exercise and good hygiene.
I will eat balanced meals every day
to have more energy to learn and to play.
Every night I will get a good rest
to be more ready to do my best.
If I work hard to be healthy and strong
I’ll be happier my whole life long.
7. “My Pledge” – didactic and movement activity – children make a circle, walk around it and recite the pledge.
8. “Healthy Finger Food” – preparing finger food – teacher asks children to wash their hands and take a seat at the tables. There are products needed to make finger foods on the tables. Teacher explains and shows how to make fingerprints.
You can find ideas for healthy finger food here, here and here.
Children can eat finger foods instead of elevenses.
9. “I can dress appropriately for the weather” – preparation for a walk/going out to the playground – teacher asks children to dress appropriately for the weather conditions. Teacher pays attention to the fact that not all clothing items on their shelves are necessary and adequate for today’s weather conditions. Children need to think about what to choose to dress so as not to get cold or overheat. Of course, teacher helps if there is such a need – but he/she tries to talk and ask questions to guide the child to independently choose the right clothes. Praise children for correctly selected garments.
10. “Walking and games organized and free time on the playground” – it is good to go for a walk and the playground on this day – reminding children that outdoor activity is very important for their health. Go for a walk even when it is raining/snowing. If the weather allows them to play outdoors, organize a few movement games for the children, e.g. with the use of an rainbow parachute, and then give children free time.
Attachments:
Emoji to create lollipops for “True-False” play
Picture card for the “Yoga” activity
Pages used:
- https://supersimple.com/song/hello/ – a song entitled ‘Hello!’
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqny8zpA–c&ab – a song entitled “Healthy habits”
- https://www.countdown.co.nz/recipes/dessert/1447/fruity-hedgehog – an idea for finger food for the “Healthy Finger Food” activity
- https://www.kuchnia-domowa.pl/przepisy/przystawki-przekaski/341-ogorkowy-krokodyl – an idea for finger food for the “Healthy Finger Food” activity
- http://wegepedia.pl/weganskie-koreczki-rajskie-ptaki/ – an idea for finger food for the “Healthy Finger Food” activity
