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Health and Nutrition Champions

Sort food picture cards into 5 groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy! Try one new healthy food today.

Hands OnAbout 25 minutesScreen-freeParent help expected

Materials and setup

Parent note

Sensitivity: nutrition education for young children should be framed around adding nutritious foods and energy for activities — not around 'bad foods,' 'good foods,' weight, dieting, or restriction. Avoid negative body talk. 'Go foods / slow foods' language is acceptable when kept playful and paired with 'both are OK sometimes.' For kids with food allergies, dietary restrictions, feeding disorders, or family food insecurity, skip or modify parts that don't fit your situation. The 'calculate your daily caloric needs' upper-elementary step should be kept academic and NEVER used as a restriction target for a child — talk to a pediatrician before introducing any caloric-target concept to a child under 12. The '6-8 cups of water per day' guidance is a general US guideline for ages 4-13; actual needs vary significantly with climate, activity, and body size — use as a rough benchmark, not a strict target. For the 'family food budget' step, skip if family finances make this sensitive. Reduced-mobility adaptation: fully desk-accessible — sorting, drawing, label reading, meal planning, and report writing are all seated work.

How this changes by age

Pre-K (ages 3–4)

Sort food picture cards into 5 groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy! Try one new healthy food today.

Difficulty 1 of 3

Steps

  1. Look at picture cards of different foods. Sort them into groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy.
  2. Talk about 'go foods' (healthy, eat lots) and 'slow foods' (treats, eat sometimes).
  3. Count the colors on your plate at lunch. Can you eat a rainbow? (Red apple, orange carrot, green broccoli...)
  4. Try one new healthy food today. Give it a thumbs up or thumbs down after trying.
  5. Draw a picture of your favorite healthy meal.
  6. Trace your shoe on paper at the start; draw a star on it for every round you finished.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the 5 food groups with examples
  • Distinguish between everyday foods and occasional treats
  • Willingness to try new healthy foods

Kindergarten (ages 5–6)

Build a healthy plate! Learn about food groups, portion sizes, and why our bodies need different nutrients. Plan a healthy meal.

Difficulty 2 of 3

Steps

  1. Learn the MyPlate model: half fruits/vegetables, quarter grains, quarter protein, plus dairy.
  2. Draw a plate and fill each section with healthy food drawings.
  3. Discuss why we need each food group: proteins build muscles, carbs give energy, fruits/veggies have vitamins.
  4. Plan a healthy lunch together: choose one food from each group.
  5. Make a 'Healthy Eating Tracker': color in a section each time you eat a serving from each food group today.

Learning objectives

  • Apply the MyPlate model to plan balanced meals
  • Explain why the body needs each food group
  • Track daily food intake across food groups

Early elementary (ages 6–8)

Study nutrition labels, the role of macronutrients and micronutrients, hydration, and how diet affects energy and health. Plan a week of healthy meals.

Difficulty 2 of 3

Steps

  1. Learn to read nutrition labels: find serving size, calories, protein, fat, carbs, sugar, and sodium on 5 products.
  2. Study macronutrients: carbohydrates (energy), protein (building), fat (brain/energy). Which foods are highest in each?
  3. Track your water intake for 3 days. Are you drinking enough? (About 6-8 cups per day for kids.)
  4. Compare two similar products using nutrition labels: which cereal is healthier? Which yogurt?
  5. Plan 3 days of balanced meals and snacks. Calculate if you're getting enough of each food group.
  6. Create a 'Nutrition Myth Busters' poster debunking 3 common food myths.
  7. Fill in a 5-row progress chart across the week for the skill you're practicing.

Learning objectives

  • Read and interpret nutrition labels
  • Identify macronutrients and their roles in the body
  • Plan balanced meals using nutritional knowledge

Upper elementary (ages 8–10)

Analyze nutrition science: caloric needs, the impact of processed foods, sports nutrition, and how to evaluate health claims in advertising.

Difficulty 3 of 3

Steps

  1. Calculate your approximate daily caloric needs based on age, weight, and activity level.
  2. Research processed vs. whole foods: what happens when food is processed? Compare the ingredient lists of homemade vs. store-bought versions of the same food.
  3. Study sports nutrition: what should athletes eat before, during, and after exercise? Create a sports nutrition guide.
  4. Analyze food advertising: find 3 health claims on packaging. Research whether they're accurate or misleading.
  5. Design a week-long meal plan for a family of 4 with a realistic grocery budget. Calculate nutritional balance.
  6. Write a research report on one nutrition topic: sugar's effect on the body, the importance of fiber, or food allergies and intolerances.

Learning objectives

  • Analyze nutritional content and caloric needs
  • Evaluate health claims and food marketing critically
  • Design nutritionally balanced meal plans within budget constraints

Safety and evidence note

Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.

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