Food and Fun
Afterschool Curriculum
Developed by the Harvard School of Public Health in
collaboration with the YMCA
Part 1: Training Trainers
Improving nutrition and physical activity
for children in afterschool programs
Copyright 2008 YMCA of the USA. The Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum is jointly
copyrighted by President and Fellows of Harvard College and YMCA of the USA.
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Why is the curriculum important?
 Research shows that kids do not consume enough healthy foods
& drinks, spend too much time in front of the screen, and get less
physical activity than they need
 Schools and community organizations are looking for creative
ways to help children and families develop healthy habits
 Afterschool and other out-of-school time programs are ideal
settings for promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity
environments
 The Food & Fun Afterschool Curriculum materials are designed to
support these healthy environments and teach kids and families
about positive nutrition and physical activity behaviors
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Training — Part 1 Objectives
 Learn about the variety Food & Fun activities and materials
 Understand how the materials fit with a current afterschool
curriculum or youth programming
 Understand the Food & Fun health messages
 Make a plan for how to get started with Food & Fun
Part 1: Training Trainers
What’s My Role as a Trainer?
 Train staff on the Food and
Fun Afterschool Curriculum
materials and health messages
 Coach staff on using the
materials to connect with kids
and families
 Plan for tracking use and
effectiveness of the materials
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Curriculum Components
 Afterschool activities for kids
 Parent communications
 Nutrition and physical activity planning and tracking tools
•
Harvard Prevention Research Center Environmental Standards for
Nutrition and Physical Activity in Out-of-School Time
•
Snack Sense guide for healthy, budget-friendly snacks
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
The Basics
 Designed for children in grades K-5
 Focused on 7 simple science-based healthy eating and
physical activity environmental standards
 11 units with over 70 activities to pick and choose from
 Encourages healthy behaviors through active play,
literacy and math skills development, creative learning,
and hand-on snack time activities
 User-friendly, flexible format and instructions
 Lesson extensions make activities easily adaptable
across program settings and diverse populations
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Background
 Before developing Food & Fun, researchers at Harvard
School of Public Health held focus groups and
interviews with childcare and afterschool staff
 Key issues that emerged included:
• Major opportunities to integrate lessons are during snack,
physical activity time, arts & crafts, and homework periods
• Storage space and budgets are limited at most locations
• Activities usually happen in 15-20 minute intervals
• Parents want to get health information in a variety of ways
 When Food & Fun was complete researchers tested the
materials in childcare and afterschool programs
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Key features:
 Activities are fun, affordable and simple
 Health messages are easy to understand
and based on the latest science
 Activities can easily integrate into many
parts of the afterschool day
 Each unit has opportunities to enhance
academic skills
 Food & Fun can be used on its own or to
complement other ongoing curricula
 Many tools and tips to connect with
families
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Unit Themes:
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Fruits and vegetables – Take a Bite! & Mix it up
Physical activity – Get Moving & Play Hard
Sugar-sweetened drinks – Be Sugar Smart
Healthy & unhealthy fats – Go for Good Fat
Whole grains – Go for Whole Grains
Healthy snacking – Super Snacks
Reduce TV viewing – Tune out TV
Keep hydrated with water – Be active, stay cool
Part 1: Training Trainers
Activity Options for Children
Variety of ways for kids to have fun while
learning about nutrition and physical activity
 Arts and crafts: allow leaders to introduce messages
in fun and creative way
 Active games: designed to involve all children in
active play
 Group games & activities: can be used at circle time
or in small groups to reinforce unit themes
 Books: promote literacy and healthy messages
 Snack time activities: hands-on way to introduce new
foods and get kids interested in healthy eating
Part 1: Training Trainers
Parent Communication Tools
Many ways to connect with
families about nutrition and
physical activity
 Engagement activities tailored to
each unit’s healthy goals
 Email messages
 Newsletter articles
 Parent handouts
 Family handbook
 Most parent materials available in
English and Spanish
Part 1: Training Trainers
Health Messages
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun
Health
Afterschool
MessagesCurriculum
 Short, simple, positive, and motivational!
 NOT lectures, negative, guilt producing, or humiliating
 Encourage kids to feel good about healthy eating, drinking
and physical activity
 Foster an interest in trying new foods, drinks, and activities
 Develop healthy behaviors early in life
 Emphasize that being healthy can help kids feel strong and
fit, improve moods, promote learning. It’s also FUN!
Part 1: Training Trainers
Food and Fun Afterschool Curriculum
Unit Themes:








Fruits and vegetables – Take a Bite! & Mix it up
Physical activity – Get Moving & Play Hard
Sugar-sweetened drinks – Be Sugar Smart
Healthy & unhealthy fats – Go for Good Fat
Whole grains – Go for Whole Grains
Healthy snacking – Super Snacks
Reduce TV viewing – Tune out TV
Keep hydrated with water – Be active, stay cool
Part 1: Training Trainers
Guidelines Reflect Current Science
 2005 Dietary Guidelines
 2006 American Heart Association Guidelines
 2006 USDA Food Guide Pyramid
 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
 2010 White House Task Force on Childhood
Obesity Report and Let’s Move Campaign
Part 1: Training Trainers
Vegetables and fruits
Environmental Standard
Serve a vegetable or fruit at every meal or snack
Why is it important?
• Contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that keep kids and adults healthy
• Protect against heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, some cancers
Suggested strategy
Use taste tests to learn kids’ fruit and vegetable preferences
Food & Fun key messages
 Go for Five! Eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables (combined) each day.
 Try to eat a fruit or a vegetable with every meal and snack.
 Just take a bite! Don’t be afraid to try a new fruit or vegetable – chances
are you’ll like it.
 Fruits and vegetables come in lots of colors. Try to eat as many different
colors as you can.
Part 1: Training Trainers
Healthy beverages
Environmental Standard
Serve water every day
Why is it important?
• Water is the best way to keep kids hydrated
• It is calorie-free and almost cost free from the tap!
Suggested strategy
Serve water in a pitcher with cups at the snack table every day
Food & Fun key messages
 Water is the best thirst quencher
 Water and low fat milk are the best drinks to have at snacks and meals
 Drink water when you are thirsty
 Drink water instead of juice or soda at every snack and meal
Part 1: Training Trainers
Healthy beverages
Environmental Standard
Do not serve sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, sweetened teas,
fruit punch, fruit drinks, and sports drinks
Why is it important?
• Sugar-sweetened drinks are the top source of added sugar in kids’ diets
• Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with obesity in children
• They provide a lot of calories with little to no nutritional benefit
Suggested strategy
Offer water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages every day and create rules
that restrict the use of vending machines or sugary drinks brought from home
Food & Fun key messages
 Drinks like soda, fruit drinks and sports drinks are loaded with sugar
 Eating and drinking too much sugar is not healthy for your body and it can
cause cavities
 Juice is not as healthy as it seems. It can have as much sugar as soda
Part 1: Training Trainers
Focus on healthy dietary fats
Environmental Standard
Do not serve foods with trans fats
Why is it important?
• Trans fats have many harmful effects on the body and no health benefits
• They are commonly found (and sometimes hidden) in packaged bakery
products and deep fried foods
Suggested strategy
Read nutrition labels and avoid foods with the words “partially hydrogenated
oil” on the ingredient list. They mean the food contains trans fats.
Food & Fun key messages
 You need to eat fat to keep your body healthy, but not all fats are the same.
 Fats from fish, nuts, and seeds area healthy for your body.
 Limit fats from animal sources like butter, whole milk, and red meat.
 Do not eat trans fats found in fast food like French fries and baked goods
like cookies.
Part 1: Training Trainers
Whole grains
Environmental Standard
When serving grains (like bread, crackers, and cereals), serve whole grains
Why is it important?
• Whole grains contain fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats
• They can lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Whole grains help you feel full longer
Suggested strategy
Select bread, crackers, and cereals that list a whole grain at the first ingredient.
Examples are whole wheat, barley, oats, and rye.
Food & Fun key messages
 Whole grains are important because they help you feel full longer and make
your body healthy.
 Eat whole grains (like whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat
crackers, and brown rice) instead of refined grains (like white bread,
muffins, pasta, and white rice) whenever possible.
Part 1: Training Trainers
Staying active
Environmental Standard
• Provide all children with at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day
• Offer 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity at least 3 days per week
Why is it important?
• Kids 6-17 years old need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day
• Regular physical activity is important for preventing chronic diseases like
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis
Suggested strategy
Schedule at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day
Food & Fun key messages
 Moving your body is fun and helps your body be healthy and strong
 All types of activities like playing, dancing, and sports are good for you
 Do something active every day
 Doing activities that make you sweat and breathe hard will make you strong
and keep your bones and heart healthy
Part 1: Training Trainers
Staying active
Environmental Standard
• Eliminate broadcast and cable TV and movies
• Limit computer time to less than 1 hour each day
Why is it important?
• Kids should spend no more than 2 hours each day watching TV, playing
video games, or surfing the internet.
• Screentime can lead to overeating, less physical activity, and overweight
• TV watching may influence kids to make unhealthy food choices because
they see a lot of ads for foods that are high in sugars and calories
Suggested strategy
Try new indoor active games or an arts and crafts project if weather limits
outdoor play time
Food & Fun key messages
 Moving your body keeps you fit
 Do something active instead of watching TV, playing video games, or
spending time on the computer
Part 1: Training Trainers
Getting Started at your Program
Variety of ways to teach staff about Food & Fun
 In person or telephone training with PowerPoint slides
 Food & Fun Facilitator's Guide for an interactive 2 hour
group training
Strategies to continue to build staff awareness & enthusiasm
 Post the Healthy Places Healthy Kids poster on your
program bulletin board
 Make copies of your favorite units and activities
 Distribute parent info flyers to program staff and families
 Review the Key Messages for Staff found at the beginning
of each unit during monthly meetings
Part 1: Training Trainers
Getting Started at your Program
Training resources
Where to find them
Train the trainer slides
Right here!
About Guide
Front of the curriculum
Environmental Standards for
Nutrition and Physical Activity in
Out-of-School Time Programs
Front of the curriculum
Key Messages for Staff
Page 4 of each unit
Food & Fun Facilitator’s Guide
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/prc/
Getting Staff on Board
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/prc/
Healthy Places Health Kids poster
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/prc/
Part 1: Training Trainers
Your Assignment . . .
Provide an initial training to your staff
Try out the curriculum at your programs
Part 1: Training Trainers
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/prc/
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource
Come visit us!
Part 1: Training Trainers