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6 Healthy Habits

Curriculum By Elin Stone

Gold Project 2016

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Table of Contents:

1) Cover

2) Table of Contents

3) Introduction

4) Habit #1- Be a Hero with Hygiene

5) Habit #1 Quiz

6) Habit #1 Newsletter

7-9) Habit #1 Activities

10) Habit #2- Positivity is a Priority

11) Habit #2 Quiz

12) Habit #2 Newsletter

13-14) Habit #2 Activities

15-16) Habit #3- Eat the Rainbow

17) Habit #3 Quiz

18) Habit #3 Newsletter

19-22) Habit #3 Activities

23) Habit #4- Never Stop Moving

24) Habit #4 Quiz

25) Habit #4 Newsletter

26-27) Habit #4 Activities

28) Habit #5- Sleep is Sacred

29) Habit #5 Quiz

30) Habit #5 Newsletter

31-32) Habit #5 Activities

33) Habit #6- Read Regularly

34) Habit #6 Quiz

35) Habit #6 Newsletter

36) Habit #6 Activities

37) Quiz for Leaders

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6 Healthy Habits: An Introduction…

What does being healthy mean? Take a second to reflect on that. To you it may mean something

different than it means to the person sitting next to you. Despite the differences there are a few ways to

be healthy that apply to everyone. This curriculum will focus on 6 of these ways. While each is great on

its own, together I have decided to call them… drum roll please… “6 Healthy Habits.” I know not very

creative, but effective nonetheless. “What are these 6 healthy habits?” you might be asking yourself.

That, my friend is a great question. To help answer that question here is a conveniently placed list of

them:

1- Be a Hero with Hygiene

2- Positivity is a Priority

3- Eat the Rainbow

4- Never Stop Moving

5- Sleep is Sacred

6- Read Regularly

Wow. Those are good. But don’t sit on them to long because we still have things to discuss. Before

doing anything though I would like to explain the goals of this curriculum. My hopes for this are that kids

will gain a greater understanding about what it means to be healthy. They should learn how important it

is to care for their minds and bodies. They should be able to identify what kinds of things help to

improve health and what do not improve health. Hopefully, they will also build skills that will keep them

healthy throughout their entire life. This will be accomplished in several steps.

1- First, create one poster per habit that will be hung up in an area where they are visible

throughout the entire process.

2- Then have the kids take a pretest on the habit they are learning. This will provide as a base

for how much knowledge they already have.

3- Read through the provided introduction of each habit. You may choose to discuss how this

can be applied to their lives.

4- Do the 3 corresponding activities either as a big group or in stations depending on how

many total kids there are.

5- At the end ask them what they have learned and add it to the poster.

6- Finally, take the same post test to determine how much knowledge the children have

gained.

7- Repeat steps 2,3,4, 5, and 6 for each habit.

Once this is all done you can feel good about having made an impact in the lives of the children

you worked with. Feel free to modify any and/or add and activities to enhance the experience.

Good Luck,

Elin

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Habit #1 Be a Hero with Hygiene

Having good hygiene is an important part of being healthy for many reasons. It helps to improve

our mental health. Looking clean and well-presented can lead people to view us better because it is

evident that we care about ourselves and our image. When others view us better it can boost our self-

confidence. Having good hygiene can also help our physical health by preventing diseases. Having poor

hygiene could lead to infections and other diseases that come from germs. Even though there are many

aspects to having good hygiene when discussing this topic with the campers it is important to talk about

a few different areas of the body.

One of these areas is the head and face. While dirty hair doesn’t cause many physical health

problems it is important to maintain healthy hair for appearance. The best way to do this is to wash your

hair using shampoo. It is also important to brush your hair to insure it does not get ratty. Once you kids

get into their teen years it will be important for them to wash their faces. Doing this will help keep pores

clean and prevent acne or pimples. However, washing to vigorously may lead to skin damage. Facial

soap should be used gently in small amounts.

Another area of the body to take good care of is your teeth and mouth. To do this dentists

recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day. While brushing use a good toothbrush and fluoride

based toothpaste. Using an antibacterial mouthwash also helps keep a clean mouth. Make sure you

emphasize going to the dentist and doctor’s office on a regular basis. They are very good resources to

use to make sure you’re your hygiene is in prime condition. Following all of the above helps to prevent

cavities, which will rot your teeth and make eating hard.

Make sure you take good care of your body and skin. To help prevent smelly feet wash them

regularly. Also allow them to breath by wearing open shoes when possible and change your socks daily.

When wearing any type of shoe make sure to see that they fit properly and provide necessary support

to your body. To care for your skin use sunscreen when going outside. Use a moisturizer if you notice dry

skin. Wear deodorant to help prevent your armpits from smelling. Wash your hands regularly, this

includes before meals and after going to the bathroom. Clip your nails regularly and refrain from biting

them.

Feel free to add material as you see fit.

http://www.hygieneexpert.co.uk/importancegoodpersonalhygiene.html

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Name:________________________________

Be a Hero with Hygiene Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- How many times a day do dentists recommend you brush your teeth?

a. 1 time a day

b. 2 times a day

c. 3 times a day

2- When should you wash your hands?

a. Before Meals

b. After Meals

c. After Using the Bathroom

d. All of the Above

3- Which areas of the body should be kept clean?

a. Body

b. Face

c. Teeth

d. All of the above

4- What will form in your mouth if you don’t brush your teeth regularly?

a. Cavities

b. Blisters

c. Splinters

5- What is hygiene?

a. How you keep your mind active

b. How well you eat

c. How you keep your body clean

Answers: B, D, D, A, C

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Be a Hero with Hygiene Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

I am so excited to announce the “6 Healthy Habits” curriculum camp this year. This is a

wonderful opportunity and I can’t wait to see how much your child learns. This curriculum focuses on 6

habits one will be discussed each week this summer.

This week’s habit will be “Be a Hero with Hygiene.” It will hopefully teach your kids the

importance of maintaining good hygiene throughout their entire life. Somethings which we talked about

include brushing your teeth, showering, using sunscreen and washing your hands. I encourage you to

bring these topics up to your child this week and see what they have to say.

Thanks,

Elin

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Activity #1: Hygiene Bingo

This goal of this game is to help kids identify what types of things can help improve their hygiene and

what types of things they should avoid. The game is played just like regular bingo. Each child is given a

blank card with 1 free space and 24 boxes on it. The children get to choose from the following words

and may write them in any box they choose. Each child is also given many chips/crayons to mark their

words. Every word is cut up and put in a hat. The leader shuffles the words and pulls one out. They read

the word and have kids mark their papers. The kids may only win if they correctly mark their papers and

can identify weather the word helps hygiene or takes away from hygiene.

B I N G O

Free Space

Toothbrush Toothpaste Shower Shampoo

Conditioner Bath Floss Soap

Mouthwash Hand Sanitizer Towel Wash

Clean Dentist Deodorant Nail File

Nail Clippers Healthy Sunscreen Comb

Hair Brush Washcloth Toilet Paper lotion

Germ Free Hands Face Nails

Blowing Nose Clean Clothes Dirty Cavity

Plaque rinse Daily Hair

Body wash Hair Dryer Skin

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Activity #2: Hygiene Crazy!- This one would work for younger kids who don’t know how to read.

This game is played with several different shaped pieces of paper lying down on the ground. Kids all start

at a starting point/on a starting line and the leader calls out a question or reads a card which describes

one of the objects on a card. The kids then race to find the piece of paper that matches the description

or answers the question. The last kid to make it to the card is out. The winner is whoever doesn’t get

out.

Cards look like this:

Toothbrush Shower Deodorant

Soap

Sunscreen Cavities

Questions Include These:

1. What do you use to clean your teeth?

a. Toothbrush

2. What shows up if you don’t clean your teeth?

a. Cavities

3. What is used to prevent sunburn?

a. Sunscreen

4. By using this you protect yourself from ultra violet rays.

a. Sunscreen

5. What should be taken to clean your whole body?

a. Shower

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6. What is used to wash your hands?

a. Soap

7. Find the triangle.

a. Sunscreen

8. Find the trapezoid.

a. Plaque

9. Find the hexagon

a. Soap

10. Find the circle.

a. Deodorant

11. Find the diamond.

a. Shower

12. Find the Pentagon.

a. Toothbrush

13. When in this you use shampoo and conditioner.

a. Shower

14. This is used under your arms.

a. Deodorant

15. This is bad for your teeth.

a. Cavities

16. You should use this twice a day for 2 minutes.

a. Toothbrush

17. This helps stop you from smelling bad under your arms when you sweat.

a. Deodorant

18. Use this before and after you eat and after you go to the bathroom.

a. Soap

Activity #3: Hygiene Charades- This also may work for children who don’t know how to read. Just be sure

to help them with the action.

This game is just like charades except every one of the actions involves being healthy in some

way. To play this game you need a box and several slips of paper with actions written on them. Have

each camper pick a slip of paper and act out the way to keep healthy. To count points, you may divide

the group up in teams or have each camper guess individually, whatever works best.

Sample Actions include: (Feel free to make more as you see fit)

Being a dentist Being a Doctor Brushing your teeth

Brushing your hair Taking a shower

Applying sunscreen Washing your hands

Wash your face Clipping your nails Put on clean clothes

Taking a bath Washing your feet Flossing Blow your nose Put on deodorant

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Habit #2 Positivity is a Priority:

When people think about how to be healthy they can often forget the power of positivity in

maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s easy to remember that to be healthy we need to eat well or exercise but

can be hard to go about doing these things with a negative attitude. Many times positivity starts with

self-talk or how you talk to yourself. These automatic thoughts just pop into your head and may be

positive or negative. This may not seem like a big deal but can actually reveal a lot about yourself. If

these thoughts are mostly positive, you are more likely to be optimistic. However, if they are mostly

negative you are more likely to be pessimistic. While researchers are still exploring the effects of

optimism on health there are many possible benefits which they may have on your life. Some of these

include:

Longer life span

Lower rate of depression

Lower distress levels (Less Stress)

Higher resistance to common cold (Ability to fight off sickness)

Better psychological and physical health (Better Physical Health)

Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease (Better Heart Health)

better coping skills during times of stress (Better Ability to handle stress)

There is no clear explanation for why these benefits occur but many think that optimism helps

people to cope better, reducing effects of stress on the body.

Luckily, there are several ways for people to help themselves become more positive. Usually it helps

to find areas of your life where more positive thinking is necessary. Then check yourself throughout the

day and during times when you find yourself thinking negatively. Find ways to make these situations

better and look for a positive way to see them. Sometimes humor is a good way to do this because it can

help you learn laugh at life. Another way to help yourself be more positive is to follow the other healthy

habits. Exercising and eating well can make you feel better about yourself while fueling your mind and

body. When trying to be more positive it is important to surround yourself with other positive people.

They can help give you advice and support you. Also, remember to start practicing positive self-talk. Try

to talk to yourself like you would talk to others. Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you do end up thinking

negatively about something take a step back and evaluate if that thought is really necessary.

Source:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-

20043950?pg=2

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Positivity is a Priority Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- How can being positive affect your life?

a. You will be cleaner

b. You be more popular

c. You will be less stressed

2- What does positivity start with?

a. Healthy Eating

b. Positive Self talk

c. A half empty glass

3- Which of the following can help you be more positive?

a. Getting Angry

b. Focusing on what you are doing wrong

c. Surrounding yourself with positive people

4- What is a priority?

a. Something that is very important

b. A way to clean yourself

c. A book

5- Which of these is not a positive word?

a. Optimist

b. Smart

c. Amazing

d. Boring

Answers- C, B, C, A, D

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Positivity is a priority Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

This week’s habit was positivity is a priority. When people think about how to be healthy they

can often forget the power of positivity in maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s easy to remember that to be

healthy we need to eat well or exercise but it can be harder to go about doing these things with a

positive attitude. Many times positivity starts with self-talk or how you talk to yourself. The automatic

thoughts that just pop into your head. These thoughts can be positive or negative. There are many

benefits to having mostly positive thoughts. These are the ones which were expressed to your kids:

Longer life span

Lower rate of depression

Lower distress levels (Less Stress)

Higher resistance to common cold (Ability to fight off sickness)

Better psychological and physical health (Better Physical Health)

Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease (Better Heart Health)

better coping skills during times of stress (Better Ability to handle stress)

This week feel free to ask your kids what they have learned about being positive. Encourage them to

see take steps towards being more positive and seeing things in a better light.

Thanks,

Elin

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Activity #1: Positivity Hangman

This game is similar to the wheel of fortune. For the game you need a white board or chalk

board and chalk/whiteboard markers. The leader draws one line on the board for each letter in a

positive word. They then divide the kids into teams of 3-4. The teams take turns each discussing what

letter they want to guess and then tell the leader what they have decided. If a team feels they know the

word they can choose to solve the puzzle. A point is given to the team for each word they solve.

Words to be used include:

positive Optimist forgiving Friendly beautiful

excellent Exciting honest Success upbeat

smart Perfect awesome Approve Gorgeous

generous Lively productive Wonderful worthy

amazing Dazzling lucky Quality reliable

prepared Efficient encouraging Enthusiastic brilliant

Activity #2: Positivity Tic Tac Toe

This game is played just like tic tack toe. Set up 9 different hula hoops and have a positive word

printed in them. Then divide the children on teams. Tell them that they must run bean bags down to the

hula hoops and place it in one. They must run them one at a time. Give each team 4 bean bags. Once

they have run all their bean bags down the teams are able to move only their bean bags around. The

teams continue to run one at a time until one of them receives a tic tac toe.

Set up looks like this (you may use many different words):

Optimist Encouraging Wonderful

Productive Enthusiastic Brilliant

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Prepared Smart Amazing

Activity #3: Befit Scramble

This activity is meant to help kids learn the benefits of positive thinking. To play this you need

paper and some tape. Take each of the benefits and break apart the words so each one is written on a

separate sheet of paper. For example, you would have better, health, and heart each on separate pages.

Then label them all with a 1 on the back and tape them in a random order all over a designated area.

Each of the benefits needs a different number on the back. Break the campers off into 7 teams and

assign them a benefit. Then tell them to run around and find all the words that belong to that benefit or

all the words with a 1 on the back. Once they have found the words they must then arrange them so

that they read the correct benefit. In the example it would read “Better Heart Health.” Then double

check to make sure all the words have a 1 on the back. The team who can correctly find and arrange

their habit wins. Feel free to change any of this to better suit your needs.

Activities for younger children (These include little to no reading):

Activity #1: Benefit Tag

Before playing this game read off the list of 7 benefits to the kids. Make signs for each of the

benefits that and place them where the kids can see them, this way if they can read they can read the

benefits but if they can’t just have them remember the benefits. Play this game just like you would play

tag. Choose some people to be “it” and have them run around tagging those who are not it. If a child is

tagged, then they must stand still until they are touched by someone (who is not it). The different part

of this game is that in order to unfreeze someone they must tell them a benefit of positive thinking. For

example, if someone was running to unfreeze someone they would touch them and say something

along the lines of “Stay Positive, you will be less stressed,” or “Stay Positive, you will have better heart

health.” The game ends when everyone is tagged or whenever the next activity starts.

Activity #2: Positivity Telephone

This game is just like telephone but it involves positive words and phrases. Have the kids sit in a

circle and tell them that you are going to whisper a phrase into one of their ears. Feel free to use

positive words or any of the 7 positive thinking benefits. Then tell them to pass the phrase around to the

person sitting next to them. Being careful not to let anyone but that person hear. The game ends when

the phrase makes it all the way around without changing or when the next activity starts.

Phrase Examples- I love positive thinking. Positivity helps me fight of sickness. I am an optimist. Humor

may help me be more positive. Positivity starts with selftalk.

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Habit #3 Eat the Rainbow:

Eating healthy is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One of the most important parts of

eating healthy is eating a wide variety of foods. That is what this habit is all about. After doing these

activities campers should have a greater understanding of what the different types of food are and how

they affect your bodies. Many of these activities will be based of the myplate food groups. It is

important to educate children on these food groups so that in the future they are able to make

educated decisions on what to eat based off of their knowledge.

The first food group is the fruit group. It consists of any fruit or 100% fruit juice. Typically, 4-8

year olds should eat around 1- 1 ½ cups of fruit daily. There are many different benefits to eating a

variety of fruits. Many fruits are low in fat and calories and they provide essential nutrients to the body

which may otherwise be under consumed. These nutrients include potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.

Potassium is common in bananas, prunes, dried peaches, cantaloupe and orange juice. It helps maintain

healthy blood pressure. Fiber is common in whole or cut up fruits. It is not common in fruit juices. Fiber

from fruits is important in helping to reduce cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of heart disease. It

provides a full feeling in few calories. Vitamin C is found in fruits like oranges. Is an important vitamin

because it helps repair body tissues, heal cuts, and keeps gums and teeth healthy. Some fruits such as

blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries contain antioxidants which can help stop cell damage in the

body.

The second food group is the vegetable group. Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice fits into

this group. It is important to eat a wide variety of vegetables. Typically, children who are between 4 and

8 should eat around 1 ½ cups of vegetables daily. Eating lots of vegetables is very healthy for the body

because they help to reduce the risk of heart disease and may protect against some cancers. They are

divided into 5 sub-groups: dark green vegetables, starchy vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans

and peas, and other vegetables. Vegetables are similar to fruits in the fact that they provide many

nutrients to the body. They provide potassium, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C to the body. Vitamin A

helps keep eyes and skin healthy and protects against infections. Beans are a special kind of vegetable

because they are a part of both the vegetable and protein food group. They contain a lot of protein and

are a vegetarian alternative meat but also contain lots of fiber and potassium which are important parts

of the vegetable food group. Green peas, lima beans, and green beans are not considered a part of both.

The third food group is the grain group. It consists of any product made from wheat, rice, oats,

cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grain product. They are divided into two groups: whole grains and

refined grains. In order to be considered a whole grain they must contain the entire grain kernel. The

whole grain section includes whole wheat flour, oat meal, and brown rice. The refined grains have their

bran and germ removed to give them a finer texture and to improve shelf life. Because they have had

these parts removed they are missing fiber, iron, and B vitamins. In an attempt to replace these some

refined grains are enriched, or have the missing vitamins and iron added back in. Still, whole grains are

generally considered better for you. The recommended amount of grains for children 4-8 yrs. is 5

ounces. Of those half, or 2 ½ ounces must be whole grains. Grains are important sources of dietary fiber,

B vitamins, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and selenium. Dietary fiber helps reduce blood

cholesterol levels and lowers risk for heart disease. It is important for bowel function and reduces

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constipation. B vitamins help with your metabolism. They release energy from fat, and carbohydrates.

Iron is used in the body to carry oxygen in blood.

The fourth food group is the Protein Foods Group. It is made up of any food from meat, poultry,

seafood, eggs, nuts or seeds, beans and peas. It is recommended that children between 4 and 8 eat

around 4 ounces of protein per day. When choosing food from this group it is important to choose foods

low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Protein plays in important part in helping our body function. It

builds bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Foods in the protein category also help supply the body

with B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium. Iron helps carry oxygen around the blood.

Magnesium helps build bones, and zinc helps the immune system function.

The fifth and final food group is the dairy group. This category includes milk and many foods

made from milk. It is recommended that children between 4 and 8 get about 2 ½ cups of dairy per day.

It is also to drink lots of water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. When choosing foods from

this category try to choose those that are fat-free or low fat but still have their calcium. Foods that have

no calcium like cream cheese and butter are not included in this category. Eating dairy products really

helps the bodies bones. This is because it contains calcium which helps build bones and teeth. In

American diets dairy products are the main source of calcium. Some dairy produces also contain vitamin

D, which helps the body maintain proper calcium levels, and Potassium which helps to maintain healthy

blood pressure. If someone does not consume milk product they must get the necessary nutrients

through other means. For example, calcium may be added to juices. They may also drink rice milk or

almond milk. Although it’s not included in the myplate food groups it is important to drink lots of water

every day to prevent dehydration.

Source:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

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Name:_________________________________________________

Eat the Rainbow Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- Which of the following is not a myplate food group?

a. Fruit

b. Meats

c. Vegetables

d. Grains

2- Which food group contains milk?

a. Dairy

b. Vegetables

c. Grains

d. Fruit

3- Which of the following are a part of both the vegetable and grain group?

a. Tomato’s

b. Cucumbers

c. Rice

d. Beans

4- Which of these are fruits?

a- Apple

b- Tomato

c- cucumbers

d- All of the above

5- What will happen to your body if you don’t drink enough water?

a. Sunburn

b. Broken bones

c. Dehydration

Answers- B, A, D, D, C

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Eat the Rainbow Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

This week’s habit will be Eat the Rainbow. Eating healthy is very beneficial for our bodies. It can

help us avoid being overweight and can help reduce the risk of getting diseases such as diabetes and

cancer. This habit stressed the importance of eating a variety of foods. For this we focused on the

myplate food groups. They are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. We discussed how

the different foods can help our bodies and what a healthy amount to eat for each is. To summarize

what was mentioned here are a few quick tips for eating healthy:

1- Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables

2- Focus on whole fruits

3- Eat a variety of vegetables

4- Make 1/2 your grains whole grains

5- Eat low fat dairy

6- Eat and drink the right amount for you

To see what the right amount is for you and to get more information on the healthy habits feel

free to visit the myplate website at www.choosemyplate.gov .

Thanks,

Elin

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Activity #1: Food Jeopardy- This one is not as great for children who can’t read. Probably best

done with an older age group.

In this game there is a poster with categories as follows the posters also have pieces of paper taped on

top of them with point values:

FRUITS VEGTABLES GRAINS PROTEIN DAIRY

100 100 100 100 100

200 200 200 200 200

300 300 300 300 300

400 400 400 400 400

500 500 500 500 500

Under each point value there is a question/description.

Examples:

FRUIT VEGTABLES GRAINS PROTEIN DAIRY

I am a yellow fruit filled with potassium.

Many vegetables are this color.

This breakfast dish is a good source of grains.

This healthy protein food is found in the oceans.

This important part of the dairy group comes from cows.

How much fruit should you eat per day?

This green vegetable looks like a tree.

This small food is commonly served as a side dish at diners.

How many protein foods should be eaten per day?

Dairy products provide what to the body?

I am a blue superfood packed with antioxidants.

This orange vegetable is often eaten by rabbits.

Many foods which contain whole grains also contain what?

It is important to eat nuts and seeds in big or small portions?

How does calcium affect the body?

I am a green fruit filled with vitamin c.

How many vegetables should you eat per day?

Half of all grains should be what kind?

How does protein affect the body?

When choosing dairy foods, you should choose what kind?

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I am a red fruit that is sometimes considered a vegetable.

Many vegetables are very good for this part of your body.

How many grains should you eat per day?

It is important to choose what kind of protein foods?

How much dairy food should be eaten per day?

Leaders break the kids off into groups of 5ish and run the game like jeopardy. They call on teams 1 by

one and the teams pick a point value. The leader pulls off the card to reveal the question/I am

statement. The team gets one chance to identify the food/answer the question and earn the points. If

they cannot identify the fruit, then the next team gets the opportunity to choose the fruit.

Answers:

Banana Green Oatmeal Fish/sea food Milk

1-1 ½ cups Broccoli Rice 4 ounces Calcium

Blueberry’s Carrots Fiber Small portions It helps build bones

Kiwi 1 ½ cups Whole grains It helps build bones, muscles, and blood.

Fat free or low fat

Tomato Heart 5 ounces Lean or low fat 2 ½ cups

Activity #2: Food back -This one is good for children who can’t read.

The goal of this activity is to help kids learn to identify different healthy foods. To play this game the

leaders would have several different pieces of food printed out. They tape a picture of a food taped on

to their back. Each child goes around asking yes or no questions to the other children to figure out what

their food is.

Example:

Questions:

Am I a vegetable?........................ NO

Am I a grain?...........................NO

Am I a fruit?..........................YES

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Am I yellow?........................NO

Am I green?.........................NO

Am I red?..........................YES

Do I have a stem?...............YES

Am I an apple?.............................YES

Now that they know what their food is they can go get a new picture.

Other Food pictures

Beans may be placed in the

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grain or vegetable category.

Activity #3: Healthy Baskets- This one is also good for children who can’t read.

The goal of this game is to help kids match different foods with their appropriate food groups. This game

is played with many basket balls or beach balls with pictures of fruit taped to them. Use the above

pictures. It also requires 5 trash cans or baskets to throw the balls in. To lead this game, the leaders’

must divide the kids into two teams of 4-5 players. Each team gets the same number of balls. The kids

must then take turns shooting the balls into the appropriate baskets from the same distance away.

Scoring may be done in several ways. The first team to finish could win or leaders could keep score,

adding one point for each correct basket made and subtracting one point for each incorrect basket.

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Habit #4 Never Stop Moving:

When thinking about being healthy one of the first things that comes to mind is physical fitness.

It is said that 17% of children between 2 and 19 are obese and that 33.8% of adults are obese as well. If

things continue as they are today up to 70% of currently obese teens may become obese adults. Regular

physical activity can prevent chronic diseases, control weight, make you stronger, and reduce fat. It is

also said that medical costs of obese people are 42% higher than of those who are not obese. Physical

fitness promotes strong bone development, improves sleep, increases energy, increases self-esteem,

and relieves stress. For these reasons, it is important to be active for at least 30 minutes a day if you’re

an adult and 60 minutes a day if you’re a child. If you are not physically active you could develop high

blood pressure and cholesterol or type 2 diabetes. You are also more at risk for stroke, heart disease,

and cancer.

There are several different kinds of physical activity. Aerobic or endurance activities, muscle

strengthening activities, balancing activities and flexibility activities. Aerobic activities are often called

endurance activities because they raise your heart beat and make you breath harder. They can be

moderate or vigorous activities. They can include jogging, playing sports such as tennis or swimming.

Strengthening activities make you stronger. They include lifting weights or using resistance bands to

help build strength. Because strengthening activities improve bone and muscle strength they are very

important for younger children and older adults. Balance of stretching activities help improve stability.

They include activities that have you on one foot and tai chi. Flexibility activities help to keep your body

limber and keep a wide range of motion. Both balancing and flexibility activities reduce risk of injuries.

During the activities which correspond to this habit children should be active. They should learn

that being active is not all running and that there are ways to make it exciting for everyone. It is

important that all children are actively engaged in these activities to get the full benefits.

http://www.fitness.gov/be-active/index.html

http://www.captel.com/news/health-wellness/learn-four-different-types-exercise/

~ 24 ~

Name:____________________________________________________

Never Stop Moving Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- What is the daily recommended amount of physical exercise for children?

a. 60 Minutes

b. 45 Minutes

c. 30 Minutes

d. 15 Minutes

2- Which of the following is a type of exercise?

a. Aerobic Exercise

b. Strengthening Activities

c. Both A and B

d. Neither A or B

3- What is a benefit of exercising regularly?

a. Healthier weight

b. Increased Self Esteem

c. Improved flexibility

d. All of the above

4- True or False: Of all the healthy habits physical fitness is the least important.

a. True

b. False

5- True or False: Being physically active on a regular basis can help to improve sleep quality.

a. True

b. False

Answers- A, C, D, B, A

~ 25 ~

Never Stop Moving Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

This week the habit was “Never Stop Moving” it was all about the importance of being active.

For this we learned about several different kinds of activity. They were aerobic activities, muscle

strengthening activities, bone strengthening activities, and balance and stretching activities. For children

it is important that they are active for at least 60 minutes every day. Being active can help reduce the

risk of them becoming obese. Obesity is already a problem in the US. As it is 17% of children between 2

and 19 are obese and 33.8% of adults are obese as well. This is a problem because as things are today

these children are at a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It doesn’t end

there. Obesity has financial implications too. It is said that obese people have medical costs up to 42%

higher than those who have normal weights. To help keep your child healthy encourage them to be

active as often as possible. I encourage you to ask them what they have learned about this habit

sometime this week.

Thanks,

Elin

~ 26 ~

Activity #1: Never Stop Numbers

This game is like musical chairs. You need enough numbers for everyone then take one away so that you

are one paper number short. To make this version fun kids run or speed walk around the numbers.

Leave a 10-foot distance between the children and the numbers. When the leader ends the music they

must run to get to the numbers. If they do not get a chair they are out. Remove a number after each

child is removed.

Activity #2: Keep Moving Obstacle Course

The goal of this game is to get kids moving and active to show them how much fun being healthy can be.

Before this activity, leaders will set up one big obstacle course or two little ones using several materials.

Kids either complete the obstacle course on their own or race to see which teams/people can finish

fastest. Examples of materials which could be used:

-hula-hoop= kids must hula hoop over to the next activity.

-variety of balls=kids must balance balls on their heads while they walk to the next activity

-jump rope= kids must get 15 consecutive jumps before they can move on.

-soccer cones and ball= kids must dribble in and out of the cones to the next activity.

Activity #3: Always active Minute to win-it

The goal of this game is to show kids that it is possible to have fun with everyday house hold objects.

This game is played like a competition. There are a series of games set up. Each child is given 1 minute to

do the given task. If they are able to do this, they get a point.

Games:

- Cup tack toe: Set up 9 cups in 3 rows of 3. Then have the kids stand at least 5 feet away from the

cups. They get 1 minute to make a straight line going across the 3 rows. (Just like in tic-tack toe)

- Stack Attack- Place a pile of 21 cups on table. Then time the kids so that they get exactly 1

minute to stack the 21 cups in a tower and take the tower down again.

- Shake, Shake, Shake- Cut a hole in the back of a tissue box then place 6 ping pong balls in the

back. Using a belt, strap the box with balls attached to the back of a child. The hole should face

away from them. Then give the kids 1 minute to shake all the balls out of the box.

- Nose dive- Set up two bowls. One has cotton balls in it and the other is empty. Then smear a

little Vaseline on each of the kids noses. They get one minute to get as many cotton balls from

one container to the other only using their noses.

- Defying Gravity- Blow up 3 balloons for each child. Then set a timer for one minute. Each child

has to keep all the balloons of the ground using only one hand.

~ 27 ~

- Hoop de loop- Set up 3, 2 liter containers of in a pyramid shape with at least 5 ft between each.

Then give two kids 3 hoola hoops and have them stand 10 feet away from the containers. They

get 1 minute to roll their hoola hoops over the 2 liter containers.

- Make a mummy- This game is played using 2 players one competing and one helper. The helper

holds a roll of tissue paper and the person competing holds one end in their hand. They then get

one minute to spin around and wrap themselves completely in tissue. The helper must move

their and up and down to help the person competing.

- Block Stacking- Have each child place a plate on their head then give them 1 minute to balance 4

blocks on the plate.

- Ping pong toss- This game is played with a partner. Give each child a ping pong ball and a cup.

Have each set of partners stand 5 feet away from each other. Then tell each team that they have

1 minute to through as many ping pong balls into each other’s cup as possible.

- Sticky Balls- Place a layer of double sided tape at the end of a smooth table. Give each child 30

seconds to roll marbles at the tape. The person who is able to make the most balls stick wins.

~ 28 ~

Habit #5 Sleep is Sacred:

Most people may not know this but our brains are very active during sleep. Getting a good

night’s sleep is very important in maintaining our physical and mental health. Most people need

somewhere between 7 and 10 hours of sleep. But how exactly does sleep work? Well, there are 5 stages

of sleep: stages 1-4, and REM (rapid eye movement). Throughout the night we cycle through stage 1 all

the way to REM and then start over.

Stage 1 is a light sleep. During this stage we drift in and out of sleep and are awakened easily.

Our muscle activity slows and our eyes move slowly. In stage 2 our eye movement stops and our brain

waves become slower. During this stage there are a few bursts of rapid brain waves, called sleep

spindles. 50 percent of our sleep time is spent in stage 2. Our brain waves become extremely slow

during stage 3. There are fewer fast waves. During stage 4 there are no fast waves. Waking someone

during stages 3 or 4 is the most difficult. These stages are sometimes called deep sleep. The last part of

sleep is called Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep. During this stage our muscles become temporarily

paralyzed, blood pressure rises, and our eyes move rapidly. We also dream during this stage. 20 percent

of our night is spent in REM sleep.

Sleep is necessary for survival. It helps insure that our nervous system works properly. Without

enough sleep we are left drowsy and unable to concentrate. Extended sleep deprivation may cause

hallucinations and mood swings. Typically, we spend more than 2 hours dreaming every night. Although

much about why we dream is unknown, it is believed that dreaming is a “safety valve” for unconscious

desires. But how much sleep do we really need? Generally, it is said that infants require 16 hours of

sleep a day. Teenagers need about 9 hours, and adults need around 7-8 hours. It is important that we

receive this amount to prevent sleep deprivation.

To help insure that you get the best sleep possible it is important to keep a few things in mind.

Try to keep your sleep cycle regular, go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day. Keeping

that in mind try avoid taking naps because they mess up your sleep cycle. Find ways to relax before bed

this may be done by taking a warm bath or meditating or spending time alone. Choose these activities

wisely. Watching TV before bed wont promote sleep. Eating well can also help. Try to avoid eating a big

meal right before bed and remember to use caffeine appropriately. If you use them to close to bed time

they will keep you up and make it harder to sleep. Keep in mind that soda and tea contain caffeine.

Exercise regularly because as seen in other activities the habits are inter connected. Exercising can help

promote solid sleep. But be careful, rigorous exercise can circulate endorphins around the body which

may keep you up. Finally, make sure you have a peaceful sleeping environment. This can be obtained by

setting thermostat to a comfortable temperature and keeping the room dark.

If you keep all this in mind you are well on your way to having the best sleep of your life.

https://www.sleepassociation.org/patients-general-public/what-is-sleep/

https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/how-much-sleep-do-babies-and-kids-need

~ 29 ~

Name:________________________________________

Sleep is Sacred Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- How much sleep should we get every night?

a. 2-4 hours

b. 5-6 Hours

c. 7-10 Hours

2- During which stage of the sleep cycle do we dream?

a. Stage 1

b. Stage 2

c. Stage 3

d. Stage 4

e. REM

3- We spend almost 50 percent of our sleep time in what stage?

a. Stage 1

b. Stage 2

c. Stage 3

d. Stage 4

e. REM

4- Which stages of sleep are considered deep sleep?

a. Stages 3 and 4

b. Stages 1 and 2

c. REM

5- True or False: Sleeping is very important for helping our body function properly.

a. True

b. False

Answers- C, E, B, A, A

~ 30 ~

Sleep is Sacred Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

Sleeping well might not be one of the first things that comes to your mind when you think about

keeping healthy but that doesn’t make it any less important. Which is why this week’s habit will be

“Sleep is Sacred.” There are 5 stages of sleep. Stages 1 and 2 are light sleep stages while stages 3 and 4

are deep sleep stages. The final stage is called Rapid Eye Movement or REM. We dream during REM

sleep but we cycle throughout all the cycles during the course of the night. This week your child should

learn that sleep is essential for life because without it we are left drowsy and unable to concentrate. It is

recommended that your child receives 7-10 hours of sleep every night. Sleeping less than this causes

sleep deprivation and sleeping more than this amount can cause problems as well. Before your child

goes to bed this week ask them what kinds of things they should be doing to help improve the quality of

their sleep.

Thanks,

Elin

~ 31 ~

Activity #1: Sleep Dance- This one is good for younger kids who can’t read.

The purpose of sleep dance is to help kids understand the importance of sleep. Before doing this activity

kids need to be made aware of how sleep affects their lives (see intro). This game is similar to freeze

dance except there are different stages and kids must dance how the brain acts during the 5 stages of

sleep.

There are 5 stages of sleep. During this game the leader plays the music and calls out a stage and

watches the kids dance. Before playing this game make sure the leader tells the children what each

stage means and what part of sleep it represents.

The stages are:

Stage 1- This stage is very light sleeping. During this stage we can be awakened easily and drift in and

out of sleep. To dance to this stage kids, dance regularly, not super energetic but not super slow either.

Stage 2- During this stage the brain waves slow down. Occasionally there are bursts of rapid waves

called sleep spindles. To dance to this stage kids, dance slowly and are interrupted by short fast

movements.

Stage 3- This is a stage of deep sleep. The brain waves become extremely slow so the kids stay still and

just move their arms.

Stage 4- This is also a stage of deep sleep. During this stage there is no muscle activity or eye movement.

The kids freeze and stand still. during this stage the leader may choose to tell kids that move that they

are out.

REM- During this stage the kids are dreaming they act as crazy and wild as possible.

Activity #2: To sleep or not to sleep. - This one is also good for younger children who can’t read.

The purpose of this activity is to help teach kids what types of things improve their sleep quality. This

game is a relay race. To play leaders must set up two tables one labeled “Improves Sleep” the other

labeled “Does Not Improve Sleep”. Then they divide the kids into teams of 5-6. Each team stands a good

at least 30 ft. away from the tables. They have with them a box of goods which they are told will either

help them sleep or will not help them sleep.

Ideas of Goods to Help Improve Sleep:

1- A calendar/sleep schedule

2- Dim Lights/ a dark room

3-A book

4- A bath

~ 32 ~

5-Some one exercising

Ideas of Goods that Will Not Improve Sleep:

1- And Ipad/Ipod/TV

2- A picture of a person sleeping for a long time

3- A picture of Caffeinated Soda

4- A picture of a big meal

Activity #3: Sleeping Lions- This game is also not very reading intense so it works for children who can’t

read.

This is a fun game to play after a long day. Explain that children need on average 7-10 hours of sleep

every night. To play you have all the kid’s laydown on the ground. Tell them that you will be watching

them carefully and that they are supposed to move as much as possible without being caught moving. If

they are caught they are out. The last person wins.

~ 33 ~

Habit #6 Read Regularly:

There are many children who don’t like reading. They think that it is not fun and won’t benefit

them. This is not the case, there are many benefits to reading on a regular basis. This habit will focus on

the following 10 benefits.

1- Reading helps to stimulate your mind and keep it active. Keeping your brain active can help slow

diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. This is because your brain is just like any other

muscle in your body, it needs to be used.

2- Reading helps to reduce stress. Reading often times takes you away and can help keep you from

thinking about present problems. This helps you relax.

3- Reading helps build knowledge. Every time you read you are filling your brain with new

information. This knew information is very helpful in life and can help you to overcome the

challenges you face.

4- Reading can help you expand your vocabulary. It exposes you to more words which will end up

in your everyday vocab. This expanded vocabulary may help to build confidence in yourself

because you will be able to express yourself better.

5- Reading can help improve your memory. When you read a book your brain is actively engaged in

remembering the characters and all the little facts that go along with them.

6- Reading helps build thinking skills. There are many aspects to books which we think about

without realizing it. For example, we decide if we like characters and may determine what things

we would have done differently if we were in their position.

7- Reading can improve focus and concentration. A story requires a lot of your attention requiring

you to focus on all the details. This skill then can be applied to the real world when you must

concentrate on one thing. It will help you tune out the unnecessary distractions.

8- Reading will help improve writing skills. Just like it can expand your vocab reading more often

and reading higher quality writing can improve your own. You will begin to notice ways in which

your writing can be improved.

9- Reading can help bring peace within yourself. There are many different types of books. Reading

a spiritual or encouraging book can help you to feel better about yourself.

10- Reading is free entertainment. There is no price limit on reading. Visiting the library is free and

will provide you with plenty of books for your benefit.

When discussing this habit with campers be sure to emphasize the importance of reading on a regular

basis at least multiple times a week, preferably most every day.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-reading-why-you-should-read-everyday.html

~ 34 ~

Name:______________________________________________________

Read Regularly Quiz:

Pre Post (Circle One)

1- Which of the following are benefits of reading?

a. Reduced Stress

b. Building Knowledge

c. Keeping an active mind

d. All of the Above

2- True or False: Reading has no effect on your writing.

a. True

b. False

3- True or False: Reading has no effect on your health.

a. True

b. False

4- Which of the following are benefits of reading?

a. Free Entertainment

b. Improved Memory

c. Both A and B

d. Neither A or B

5- How often should you read?

a. Once a year

b. Once a month

c. Once a week

d. Multiple times a week

Answers- D, B, B, C, D

~ 35 ~

Read Regularly Newsletter:

Dear Parent,

This week’s habit was “Read Regularly.” While this habit may not do much for your physical

body it does a lot for your mind and mental wellbeing. For this habit we focused on 10 ways in which

reading is beneficial to you. They are:

1- Reading helps to stimulate your mind and keep it active. Keeping your brain active can help slow

diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

2- Reading helps to reduce stress. Reading often times takes you away and can help keep you from

thinking about present problems.

3- Reading helps build knowledge. Every time you read you are filling your brain with new

information.

4- Reading can help you expand your vocabulary. It exposes you to more words which will end up

in your everyday vocab.

5- Reading can help improve your memory. When you read a book your brain is actively engaged in

remembering the characters and all the little facts that go along with them

6- Reading helps build thinking skills. There are many aspects to books which we think about

without realizing it. For example, we decide if we like characters and may determine what things

we would have done differently if we were in their position.

7- Reading can improve focus and concentration. A story requires a lot of your attention requiring

you to focus on all the details

8- Reading will help improve writing skills. Reading more often and reading higher quality writing

can improve your own.

9- Reading can help bring peace within yourself. Reading a spiritual or encouraging book can help

you to feel better about yourself.

10- Reading is free entertainment. Visiting the library is free and will provide you with plenty of

books for your benefit.

This week feel free to ask your child about any one of these to see what they have to say.

Thanks,

Elin

~ 36 ~

Activity #1: Benefit Posters

For this activity you will divide the kids up into 10 teams. Give each of them a poster board and

some markers. Assign each group one of the 10 benefits. Then have them make a colorful poster that

describes that benefit. After every group has finished have them present the posters to all the other

groups.

Activity #2: Character Day

The kids must be made aware of this one the day before. Tell them to dress up as a character

from their favorite book. The next day have the kids walk around trying to guess who everyone is

dressed as. To make this game more difficult leaders may choose to limit the number of questions

everyone is allowed to ask each other. For example, you could limit the number of questions to 4 and a

guess.

Activity #3: Noun, Adjective or Verb Frenzy

One of the difficult parts of good writing is being able to identify the purpose of the words in a sentence.

The purpose of this game is to help kids learn to tell the difference between nouns, verbs, and

adjectives. This game is played in teams. Each team gets a pile of words which are a combination of

nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Then they are pointed to 3 baskets or boxes across a large running space.

They are then told that the people on their team must each take turns running one word over to the

correct box. One point is scored for each word that is correctly placed in a box.

List of possible words (feel free to add your own as you see necessary):

NOUNS VERBS ADJECTIVES

Emily Answer adorable

Apple Run Kind

Library Walked Quiet

School Threw Helpful

Josh Played Talented

Pencil Talked Happy

Dog Thought perfect

~ 37 ~

Survey for the Leaders:

Thank you so much for implementing the activities with the children today. It would be greatly

appreciated if you could take this short reflection survey so that the activities will run smoother in the

future.

Date: _________________

What habit/activity did you work on today?

________________________________________________________

What went well?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

What could be improved upon for further habits?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________