Preschool Library Activities

2010 Healthy Kids Challenge www.healthykidschallenge.com 1-888-259-6287

Reading - Smart Eating - Moving…Balance My Day!

Brought to you by Healthy Kids Challenge and a grant award from United Methodist Health Ministry Fund

Over 150 nutrition and physical activity ideas that link with preschool books! Enjoy the ideas that YOU and your colleagues across the

state created at the HKC workshops!

Happy Eating, Reading and Moving!

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Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Norma Mullen – Logan Library Book Title – Boom Chicka Rock Author – John Archambault Publisher, Year - Scholastic Books, 2004 Book Description: Counting and movement with 12 mice and a clock. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)

Fruits & Veggies Breakfast GO Power

Active Play Snack Attack

Smart Servings MyPyramid

Drink Think Activity Title - Mouse Moves Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Boom Chicka Rock”, imagination Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Start reading the book and each time an opportunity to move presents itself-grab it! For example, on page two the script says, “Let’s dance and party and Rock and Roll”. Have the kids make a few dance moves. Page 3 says to “tip-toe, tip-toe”. Get the kids ups and on their toes. Do the moves with them to give them an idea of what to do. It will get them started. Have everyone rock around the room and then get back to the book. It’s okay if there are a few pages with no movement. Play it by ear with the group of kids you have and how much time to spend. You may choose to “roar” instead of going around the room again. When the book reads “throw him by the tail”, just make the motion. End the story on a quiet note so the kids can calm down more easily.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Unknown Book Title – Stop that Pickle! Author – Peter Armour Publisher, Year – Houghton Mifflin, 1993 Book Description: A pickle escapes from the pickle jar. He is chased around by all different types of food, each one yelling “stop that pickle”. Finally the pickle is caught by a hungry little boy, but the little boy eats the other food instead. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Pickle Jar Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Stop that Pickle!”, paper/colors, graphics for this can be found on Dltk Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Ask if they know what vegetable a pickle is. Give each child a pickle with a letter on it. Put a big pickle jar (drawing) up. Call out a letter, the child with that letter on its pickle puts it in the jar. When all the pickles are in (taped or flannel board) the jar, they escape! Pull them out one at a time and count them as you do. Variation: instead of letters you could use colors or numbers



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Lennet Froelich – Dudley Township Public Library Book Title – Green Wilma Author – Tedd Arnold Publisher, Year - Dial Books for Young Readers, 1993 Book Description: Waking up with a frog-like appearance, Wilma proves disruptive at school as she searches for some tasty flies. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Frog Wilma Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Green Wilma”, Nerf ball, celery, peanut butter, peanuts, raisins, plastic spoons or wooden sticks for spreading peanut butter, napkins, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Discuss dreams and how real they seem. Wilma does wake up as a frog! What do frogs like to eat? (Flies) Discuss the children’s favorite foods. Talk about the MyPyramid food groups showing the poster. Ask why MyPyramid is important? Talk about eating healthy foods. Ask children what their parents eat at breakfast. What do they eat at breakfast? Talk about healthy breakfast choices. Ask how Wilma moved. Have the children hop around like Wilma did. Let the children play dodgeball with the Nerf ball like Wilma did in gym class. At lunch time, what did the little boy have on his plate? Where does it fit in the food pyramid? At the end, let the children make a snack. Ask if flies are good to eat. Say, well we aren’t going to eat “flies” but we are going to make and eat “ants on a log”. Give kids celery sticks and let them spread peanut butter on them and sprinkle with raisins for their snack.


http://www.mypyramid.gov/�


Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mary Holler – Protection Township Library Book Title – Milk and Cookies Author – Frank Asch Publisher, Year - Parents Magazine Press, 1982 Book Description: Mama, papa and baby bear are visiting grandma and grandpa’s house. They spend the night and baby bear sees grandpa down in the basement feeding a “dragon”, which is really a wood stove. Baby bear has a dream about the dragon eating his milk and cookies. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Feeding a Dragon Audience (for kids include age group) – 3 years old to 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Milk and Cookies”, coloring pages with a dragon on it, crayons, snack-almond milk and pretzels, napkins and paper cups Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Ask if any of the kids have had a scary dream like bear. Explain that sometimes we have dreams that scare us but when we wake up, we realize it wasn’t real. Explain that like a scary dream, we shouldn’t be afraid to try new foods. Today you will get to try a new food called Almond milk, since not everyone can drink milk without getting an upset tummy. We’ll also have pretzels as a healthy snack than cookies. Hand out the coloring pages and let the kids color the dragon. Provide the snack of almond milk and pretzels.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Anna Whiteman – Grainfield City Library Book Title – Up, Down and Around (Activity #1) Author – Katherine Ayres Publisher, Year – Random House, Inc. 2007 Book Description: A colorful book describing how to plant seeds and watch them grow. Some plants grow up and some grow down, and some grow all around. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Up and Down Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool and younger Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Up, Down and Around”, large seeds, puppets, pictures of food, glue sticks, large pieces of poster paper for each child Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) - Lay down large pieces of poster paper for each child and give a large seed to put on the paper, as if to plant it. Let the children pick a picture of a fruit or veggie and put over the seed they planted. Sing “up”, “down”, and “around” and do those actions while singing.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Nancy Snyder – Derby Public Library Book Title – Up, Down and Around (Activity #2) Author – Katherine Ayres Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2007 Book Description: A garden produces a variety of edible plants; such as corn that grows up, onions that grow down, and tomato vines that twine around. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Veggie Workout Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Up, Down and Around!” Note-may use as “reader’s theater” for readers Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Children stand up as the book is read and act out each line, such as: - In the dirt we’ll dig a row - Drop some seeds, and watch them grow - Dirt piles up (hands up) - Seed goes down (kneel down) - Water splashes around and around (turn around)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Gayle Bowden – Kiowa Public Library Book Title – Up, Down and Around (Activity #3) Author – Katherine Ayres Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2007 Book Description: A book about planting seeds and watching them grow. Talks about plants growing in all different directions. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – I Can Plant a Garden Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool (3-4 years) Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Up, Down and Around”, carrots and healthy dip for a snack Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book, and then have the kids act out the book. Have the kids pretend to dig up the dirt. When it says up, the kids will reach up and up (climb). When it says down, the kids will bend down and touch the ground. When it says around and around, turn around and around. Imitate pick and pull actions, like gathering veggies. After finishing the actions in the book, have carrots and healthy dip for a snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Diana Floyd – Healthy Kids Challenge Book Title – Up, Down, and Around (Activity #4) Author – Katherine Ayres Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2007 Book Description: A fun and descriptive book about planting seeds and watching them grow as they bend in different directions. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Veggie Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Up, Down and Around”, room to move, at least 5 or 6 different items mentioned in the book: ear of corn, carrot, cucumber, pepper, potato, mini pumpkin, broccoli spear, beet, whole green bean, okra, onion, and firm tomato-have extra carrots and potatoes to ensure every child has a vegetable, a large bowl, basket or bag to hold the above items Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the preschoolers. Then distribute the assorted vegetables to them, explaining what they are as they feel it and hold it. Place the bowl, paper sack or basket in the center of the circle. As the story is read again, they must listen closely for when their vegetable is mentioned. Then they place it in the bowl for "lunch". At the end of the story no one should have any vegetables left. Read the story again and have all the children do the actions as you say them: Dig a row (hoeing motion), Drop some seeds, Splash around, Grow up (stretch up, reaching as high as possible), Grow down (touch toes), Climb around (pretend to climb), Pick some, and Pull some. For example "peppers grow up" - reach and spread their arms up, as they grow bigger. Encourage creativity and sharing on what a growing plant might do. End by having everyone sit around the bowl of vegetables to have "lunch".



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jackie Clarkson – Coffey County Library-Waverly Book Title – L M N O peas Author – Keith Baker Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2010 Book Description: Peas go through the alphabet. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Meet the Peas and Roll Through the ABC’s Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool/K-2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “L M N O peas”, prepare sheets showing the activity for each letter for the children to use Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children and read again acting out the activity from each letter. Start with the alphabet stretch. Let children take turns being different letters. Have letter ready with “pea” people on them. Examples: Letter “D” have everyone dance and then move around like they are driving a car., Letter ‘E” pretend to eat and then explore. End by everyone saying or singing the ABC’s



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Adrienne Olejnikl – Rossville Community Library Book Title – Old MacDonald Had an Apartment House Author – Judi Barrett Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 1998 Book Description: Old MacDonald and his wife grow a garden and have farm animals in an apartment building. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Garden Starter Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool to elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Old MacDonald Had an Apartment House”, egg cartons (cardboard-type), potting soil, vegetable or herb seeds, information packets prepared ahead Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Offer an egg carton or ½ a carton for each child. Remove the top by cutting, so all you have is the egg holder bottom. 2. Put potting soil in each “egg hole”. 3. Give each child vegetable seeds to plant in the egg holes. Make sure you have labels or some way of identifying which seeds are where. 4. Lightly water the soil. 5. Children can take the seed starters home to maintain them. When the plants are large enough and the weather is right, they can transfer to their garden or larger pots. 6. Send home information packets with the child about the vegetables or herbs they are growing. Include nutrition information, how to grow successfully, when to plant, when to harvest, how to store (canning, blanching/freezing, etc.) Provide healthy recipes that include the veggies or herbs.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Alice Jones – Herington Public Library Book Title – Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food Author – Stan and Jan Berenstain Publisher, Year – Random House, 1965 Book Description: Mama Bear decided her family was eating too much junk food. She got them back to healthy eating and they joined a 3 mile run. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – How can mom get her family back to health? Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food”, game board and dice (make a game board ahead of time similar to Candyland, with colored sections of different fruits, veggies, low fat milk, cheese, yogurt, water, whole grains, healthy snack choices, and physical activity ideas-hopping, jumping, and also unhealthy thing like junk food, sitting watching TV too long, etc.) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the kids gather around the game board and let one roll the dice. Go the number of spaces on the dice. If they land on a healthy item, they can go walk forward 2 steps to a designated area; if unhealthy, go back 2 steps. If they land on an activity and do the activity, they go forward 3 steps, if not, they go back 3 steps. Let the next child play. Continue on until the first child who gets to the designated area from taking steps, wins.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Joan Weaver – Kinsley Library Book Title – The Little Yellow Leaf Author – Carin Berger Publisher, Year - Greenwillow Books, 2008 Book Description: As all the other leaves float off and fly past, Little Yellow Leaf is not ready and remains on the tree into winter. Finally he and Little Scarlet Leaf, the only other leaf left, jump off together dancing away in the wind. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Falling Leaves Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Little Yellow Leaf”, juggling scarves plus a yellow and scarlet scarf Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Gather the children and talk about autumn, leaves changing colors and falling off the tree. 2. To the tune of “Here we go round the Mulberry Bush”, have the children stand in a circle, sing, and act out the following: “This is the way we rake the leaves…. in the autumn of the year.” “This is the way we jump in the leaves...” “This is the way we throw the leaves…” Now the leaves are all messy, so we have to rake them again and repeat the verses above. When finished, read the story to the children. Act out the story using the juggling scarves. Let the kids take turns being Little Yellow and Little Scarlet leaves. At the end have the 2 children that are Little Yellow and Scarlet leaves at the time, jump off and dance with the wind.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: April Zagonel – Girard Public Library Book Title – Franklin Plays the Game Author – Paulette Bourgeois Publisher, Year – Scholastic Books, 1995 Book Description: Franklin and his friends are part of a soccer team. Each member wants to do his/her own thing. However, in the end they realize that teamwork is the way to go. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Team Building Relay Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Franklin Plays the Game”, a puzzle, dice, blocks Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Split up the puzzle pieces. Have a child roll the dice. Either have a planned activity (jumping jacks, hop on one foot, etc.) or have the children come up with their own ideas. The dice determines the times the activity is done. After the activity is completed, put in a puzzle piece (or blocks for building), by working together. Tell the children that teamwork is achieved by working together.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Teresa Leonard – Bradford Memorial Library Book Title – D.W. the Picky Eater Author – Marc Brown Publisher, Year – Little, Brown and Co., 1995 Book Description: D.W. won’t eat leafy greens until she eats some spinach without realizing it. Then she decides she likes it after all. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – My Pot Pie Audience (for kids include age group) – 2-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “D.W. the Picky Eater”, small brads, tan construction paper or card stock, glue stick, pictures of food-either clip art or pictures from magazines Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Cut 2 circles out of tan paper-about 8 inches in diameter. Glue one circle onto a whole piece of construction paper. Have children pick pictures of food they would like in their “pot pie”. Glue the food on top of the tan circle. Attach the second circle on top of the glued circle with the brads. Kids then can move the top “crust” to show what is in their pie.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jackie White and Gretchen Huber – McConnell AFB Library - Wichita Book Title – Sailor Boy Jig Author – Margaret Wise Brown Publisher, Year – Margaret K. McElderey Books, 2002 Book Description: A sailor dog is dancing a jig. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Jump Around Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Sailor Boy Jig”, room to move, snacks-bean sprouts, whole-grain Goldfish crackers, popsicle sticks to make a simple puppet, glue Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Follow the activities in the book while reading. Make simple Popsicle stick puppets to follow along with the book. Have a snack from a “bucket of fun”: beans sprouts as worms, whole-grain Goldfish crackers as fish.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kathleen Caster – Riley City Library Book Title – Babar Learns to Cook Author – Laurent de Brunhoff Publisher, Year – Random House, 1978 Book Description: This book is about Babar the elephant and his family who learn to cook by having a visiting chef give cooking lessons. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Make Your Healthy Pizza Audience (for kids include age group) – 6-9 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Babar Learns to Cook”, a MyPyramid poster, a willing pizza parlor or family willing to have kids come to their house to build their own pizza to cook Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – The group would have to be small, and there would need to be healthy ingredients, like low fat mozzarella cheese, green pepper, chopped tomatoes, lean hamburger, etc. for toppings. As the kids assemble their pizzas, name the ingredients and ask the kids from which food groups they come from in MyPyramid. After the pizzas are cooked, they get to eat.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Barbara Lee – Leonardville City Library Book Title – Night Tree Author – Eve Bunting Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace, 1991 Book Description: A family decorates a Christmas tree in the woods with food that wild animals will eat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Christmas for the Animals Audience (for kids include age group) – 4-10 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Night Tree”, popped popcorn, sunflower seeds apples, oranges Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Children prepare popcorn chains, and balls made of seeds, fruit, etc. If age appropriate, they could research what animals of the area eat (or just learn about it) and talk about where these foods are on the food pyramid. If possible, use the resulting food decorations to decorate a tree.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Anne Harris – Wichita Public Library Book Title – From Head to Toe Author – Eric Carle Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 1997 Book Description: Children imitate the motions of a variety of animals. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Can You Do It? Audience (for kids include age group) – ages 2-8 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “From Head to Toe”, digital camera and printer, paper, pen, markers/crayons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book and having the kids mimic each animal’s movements, they can make their own group book. Ask each child to demonstrate a motion they can do. Take a photo of them doing the motion. Each child’s picture will be on a separate page with the text. Example: “Anne can spin around in circles really fast. Can you do it?” The children draw a picture of themselves doing their motion on the facing page. Attach all pages together with a plastic comb binder, book rings or staples.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kindra Holland – Erie City Public Library Book Title – The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Activity #1) Author – Eric Carle Publisher, Year – Putman and Gossett, 1969 Book Description: A caterpillar eats his way through a lot of foods before he finally becomes a butterfly. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Caterpillar to Butterfly Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, white paper, markers or crayons, fruit cup snacks for each child and spoons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have children color a caterpillar and fruit shapes. Talk about the differences between healthy foods and unhealthy foods. Ask why the caterpillar in the story got a tummy ache. Ask what foods do caterpillars like best. Have children pretend they are a caterpillar moving from food to food. Next, they are still in their cocoon. Finally, they turn into a beautiful butterfly flying and flapping their wings. Provide fruit cups for a snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Leslie Bell – Northwest Kansas Library System Book Title – The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Activity #2) Author – Eric Carle Publisher, Year – Scholastic Inc., 1969, 1987 Book Description: A highly graphic and colorful presentation of the transformation of an egg into a butterfly. The variety of food the caterpillar ate to prepare provides opportunities to discuss food types. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Are you a hungry caterpillar? Audience (for kids include age group) - Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - Hungry Caterpillar Resource Kit - NWKLS Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) - Pass out felt pieces of food items so each child has one or more. Tell the story asking children to feed the caterpillar the food item. Talk about the over-eating concept when the caterpillar has a stomach ache and how he felt better when he ate his normal food. Ask the kids…What foods would be good for you? What makes your tummy ache? (Too much birthday cake, ice cream, etc.)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Lynn Shoemaker – Linwood Community Library Book Title – From Head to Toe Author – Eric Carle Publisher, Year – Scholastic, Inc., 1997 Book Description: Children imitate animal actions. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Animal Actions Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “From Head to Toe”, animal masks to decorate-colored construction paper, tape, glue sticks, crayons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the children do the actions as you read the book. Make animals masks: let the children color and decorate their masks. Have an animal parade with each child doing the action of their animal while wearing their masks. Discuss healthy snacks that give you energy to move like the animals: whole grain crackers, string cheese, fruits and veggies. Discuss the fruits and veggies that the animals eat.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Deb Weatherbie – Paola Free Library Book Title – The Mixed-Up Chameleon Author – Eric Carle Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 1975 Book Description: A Chameleon has a boring life and wishes to be like other animals. When his wish comes true he discovers he likes being himself best. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Changing Colors Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Mixed-Up Chameleon ”, Twister game or colored circles for younger children Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Name the fruits and veggies that are the colors of the different animals in the book. Have the children perform the action of the animal mentioned on each page. Discuss the pages when the chameleon is sparkling green and is eating healthy, but is dull gray when he is not eating healthy. Play the Twister game, but first discuss the different types of fruits and veggies that correlate with the colors on the mat. While children are playing the game, they must say a fruit or veggie out loud that matches the color they are putting their hand or foot on. For Younger Children: Spin and have the children step or jump from one color circle to the other.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mary Barker – Lebo Book Title – Get Up and Go! (Activity #1) Author – Nancy Carlson Publisher, Year – Penguin Group, 2006 Book Description: Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. You need to take care of your body by exercising. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Jump Rope Audience (for kids include age group) – Older Elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Get Up and Go!”, long jump ropes, space to move and jump-- This activity could be done in a large meeting room or outside. Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and tell the students you are going to “Get Up and Go” by jumping rope. Ahead of time, order on interlibrary loan extra books that have jump rope chants or rhymes. Have 2 students turn the rope, while others join in on a rhyme. Let kids learn to enter and exit the jump rope. Switch the students turning the ropes.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Carol Rittscher – Memorial Library - Liberal Book Title – Get Up and Go! (Activity #2) Author – Nancy Carlson Publisher, Year - Viking Press, 2006 Book Description: No matter what shape or size; you need exercise. The book points out how exercise benefits you – physically, socially and emotionally. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Do what Luella and her Friends Do Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Get Up and Go!”, “fly” bean bags and a “frog” made out of a box Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As you are reading the story, call out the activities being done in the book and have the children mimic that activity. Examples: swinging a bat, kicking a soccer ball, ice skating, playing tag (that one could get a little wild), jumping rope, walking/hiking, canoeing, working in the garden, swimming, bicycling, and dancing. At the end, have the children pretend to sleep so they are rested for exercise the next day.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jerie Tichenor – Meriden Community Library Book Title – Clap Your Hands (Activity #1) Author – Lorinda Bryan Cauley Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace and Co., 1992 Book Description: Each page has a different activity; for example, stomp your feet, clap your hands, etc. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Fun with Motion Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 7 years of age Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Clap Your Hands”, apples, bananas, strawberries and lemons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and do the activity on each page with the children. When reading page 7, let the children find the red and yellow fruit. Talk to them about how important it is to eat fruit every day. On page 14 it mentions finding something large and small—talk with the children about healthy portion sizes, moderation. Teach the children about nutrition while they move.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jackie White – McConnell AFB Library - Wichita Book Title – Clap Your Hands (Activity #2) Author – Linda Bryan Cauley Publisher, Year – G.P. Putnam and Sons, 1992 Book Description: A variety of animals doing many actions “on parade”. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Activity Parade Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Clap Your Hands”, fruits and veggies that animals in the book would eat such as banana slices and carrot sticks, lots of space to move, seedies and plastic fruits/veggies, helpers to role-model Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Follow and do the activities in the book. While looking at the book, discuss and talk about what types of food these animals would eat (bananas-monkeys). Ask children if they can think of any other animals and what movement they do. Have children demonstrate the movements and discuss what these animals eat. Use seedies and plastic fruits/veggies while asking …What animal eats this fruit/veggie?



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jody Suiter – Macksville City Library Book Title – The Bake-Off Author – Lorinda Bryan Cauley Publisher, Year – G.P. Putnam, 1978 Book Description: There’s a Bake-Off in the forest and no one wants to eat Mr. Hare’s vegetables. They think Mrs. Beaver’s chocolate cake will surely win. Then, Mr. Hare surprises them all with the best cake of all…a carrot cake…with recipe included in the book. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Can Anything Good For You TASTE Good? Audience (for kids include age group) – kindergarten Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Bake-Off”, a large piece of paper, marker, bite-sized carrot cake cupcakes, 3 paper ribbons for each child (1st, 2nd, 3rd), 3 vegetables on a plate for each child, 3 large pictures of each of the 3 veggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have children brainstorm vegetables and have the leader write them down. Ask kids what their favorite veggies are and star them or circle. Ask them how they like them served. Read the book and stop before Mr. Hare reveals his “secret ingredient”. Pass out bite-sized cupcakes and after kids eat them, have them guess what the secret ingredient is….Tally the votes on the large piece of paper. Finish the book and see if the class guessed right. Then give each child 3 ribbons and a plate of 3 veggies to taste. After tasting, they stick their ribbons on the large pictures of the 3 veggies. Which was 3rd place? 2nd place? 1st place? Cheer! Teach a cheer and clap to it… “Veggies, Veggies, they are GREAT! Serve me (insert the veggie they liked best here) on my plate!” Send home a copy of the recipe from the book, also.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Shelly Wintz – Herington Public Library Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #1) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2000 Book Description: A child won’t eat her vegetables and fruit. It is her brother’s job to teach her to eat them. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Name Game Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool through 1st grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, different fruit/veggie examples or pictures of them would work Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the kids take turns coming up with different names to call the food examples you have. Give them fun names that rhyme or silly names that would make kids want to eat the food. Then, have them tell the names to adults/parents to see if they can figure out what food they are talking about.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Arlene Hasty – Chanute Public Library Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #2) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2000 Book Description: Lola is a picky eater and won’t try new foods. Her brother makes the foods sound interesting, so she’ll try them, and then she finds out she likes them. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Renaming Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, pictures of fruits and veggies, a MyPyramid poster Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Show kids the MyPyramid poster and explain the healthy foods in it. Next, show pictures of different fruits and veggies and have the children give them more exciting names like Charlie did in the book. As they rename the food, one person could take the picture over to the MyPyramid poster on the wall and put or point where it belongs in the pyramid.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Janet Birk – Coffey County Library Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #3) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year – Chadwick Press, 2000 Book Description: Big brother, Charlie, has to give his little sister, fussy eater Lola, her dinner. Charlie becomes inventive in order to convince Lola to eat her vegetables. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Change the Name Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, real or artificial veggies/fruits in a bag to match those in the book, can use flannel board fruits/veggies also while reading the story Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Pass around the bag with fruits and veggies in it. Have each child draw one out, then pass it to another child. Ask each child about their fruit/veggie. Ask if they like it, along with why or why not. Have the child think of another name to call it. Have fun with the names. Take turns until all have participated.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Eleanor Strecker – Topeka Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #4) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year – Scholastic, 2000 Book Description: Lola is a fussy eater. Sometimes her brother, Charlie, has to give her dinner. Charlie comes up with creative ways to get Lola to eat her dinner. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Name that Food Audience (for kids include age group) – older preschool and younger elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, pictures of fruits and vegetables in a bag, a rainbow template Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. After reading the story, bring out the bag with pictures of fruits and veggies in it. 2. Pull a picture out of the bag and help children identify the fruit or vegetable and what color it is. 3. Announce you need a new name for this fruit/veggie and let the children help you make up a fun new name. 4. Continue pulling out pictures and giving new names. 4. Lay out the rainbow template and allow the children to put the fruits/veggies in the appropriate colors of the rainbow.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mary Domaan– Atchison Library Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #5) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 2000 Book Description: Charlie tricks his picky eater sister, Lola, into eating foods she says she hates. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Try It, You’ll Like It! Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool/K-2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, prepare ahead of time food samples from the book, such as peas, mashed potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, paper plates, spoons and napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Have “orange twiglets” (carrots), “Greenland green drops” (peas) and so on from the book for the children to sample. Talk about what foods the children don’t like. Come up with new names for those foods. Talk about the importance of eating a variety of foods. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Can calling a food something else make it taste better? Have you tried something new recently? How did it go? Will you try it again? End with asking each child to try a new food before the next time you meet, and tell us how it went.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Marilyn Keating – Hamilton County Library Book Title – I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Activity #6) Author – Lauren Child Publisher, Year - Harper Collins, 2000 Book Description: Little sister, Lola, is a very picky, fussy eater. Older brother, Charlie, asks her to eat different veggies and she has a reason why she won’t eat them. Charlie tricks her by calling all the veggies something else more interesting and she tries them. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - A Walk on the Moon (astronauts) Audience (for kids include age group) – Kindergarten to 5th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato”, an assortment of bite size pieces of veggies and fruits for tasting, pictures of foods labeled with “theme” names, game prizes-pencils, bookmarks, etc. Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Gather the children and discuss what astronauts might find when they travel to another planet. Aliens, maybe? Think of other things that might be found…chairs, homes, windows, CD players, etc., but change the object’s names to fit the planet they are on. This exercise will help them understand the funny names Charlie uses for food items. Read the story to the children. Provide a “taste testing” game. Let the kids know they can win prizes by earning points. Explain that they earn points for being the first to try a new fruit or veggie sample and for actually trying the fruit or veggie samples. Explain that fruits and veggies make healthy snacks. Help them add up their points and at the end of the adventure, they receive prizes. Between each taste testing sample tried, have the kids do a physical movement such as skipping, hopping, etc.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Dee Lizzol – Seneca Free Library Book Title – Digger Pig and the Turnip Author – Caron Lee Cohen Publisher, Year – Harcourt, Inc., 2000 Book Description: Little Red Hen read alike, with a pig instead of a hen and turnips instead of bread/wheat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Let’s Make a Turnip Pie! Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Digger Pig and the Turnip”, could bring some kid size garden tools or replicas Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book. As you do, use actions to show hen digging up the turnip and dragging this huge turnip back to her kitchen to make the turnip pie. Could divide the group into 3 groups and when the pig asks if she would like help cutting up the turnip, each group (Chirper Chick, Quaker Duck, and Bow Wow Dog) would say, “Not I”. At the end, hen’s piglets eat the pie and not the other animals. Tell the kids that they are not the piglets and can help eat the pie. Yum, yum! Let the kids pretend they are eating the turnip pie. Talk about how good vegetables and fruits are for you.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Diana Floyd – Healthy Kids Challenge Book Title – Pumpkin Soup Author – Helen Cooper Publisher, Year – Doubleday Publishing, 1998 Book Description: A great fall book that has a lesson about friendship and sharing, with its own recipe for pumpkin soup. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Fall Foods Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Pumpkin Soup”, bring examples of fall veggies, like a small pumpkin, squash, etc., paper cups, make pumpkin soup ahead of time from the book’s recipe so the kids can sample Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the preschoolers and talk about fall foods and veggies. Let the children hold the veggie examples and ask them if they can name the veggies. Ask them if they eat the veggies they are holding. What other veggies do they eat? Explain that veggies are very healthy and come in a rainbow of colors to eat. Talk about the different ways veggies can be prepared—raw, cooked? In a pie? What about soup?? Talk about the pumpkin soup recipe in the book and mention the different ingredients. Pour the soup in cups for the children to sip from and try.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kendra Mork – Goddard Library Book Title – Bounce Author – Doreen Cronin Publisher, Year – Atheneum, 2007 Book Description: Bouncing can be fun. Just don’t bounce on the couch. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Look for the Bounce Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bounce”, 5-6 cone markers, dice, instruction sheets, healthy snacks-cut-up fruits and veggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Set up a game board in the library with 5-6 stations/stops. Mark the start square. Have the child roll a die and then proceed to the first stop. The child must do the activity once for each number on the die. Example: The child rolls a “5” and the child will do the activity 5 times. Station Examples: 1. Bounce Ball on the Floor 2. Hop in Place 3. Bounce Ball on Hands 4. Bounce Ball on Foot 5. Hop on one Foot Have healthy fruit or vegetables (cut in small pieces) to eat at the finish line.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Emily Holt – Solomon Public Library Book Title – Stretch (Activity #1) Author – Doreen Cronin Publisher, Year – Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009 Book Description: Pages full of stretching exercises that kids can do. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – STRETCH Audience (for kids include age group) – K-2 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Stretch”, space to move freely Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read each page of the book out loud and join the kids in stretching, following the instructions.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Pam Fast – Buhler Public Library Book Title – Stretch (Activity #2) Author – Doreen Cronin Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009 Book Description: There’s nothing like a good stretch before you jump, wiggle, bounce or run. Stretching can be good fun, especially if you’re stretching your imagination at the same time! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Stretch Your Body! Stretch Your Mind! Audience (for kids include age group) – 3 to 6 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Stretch”, space to stretch, carpet squares, healthy treats (homemade granola bag) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Provide each child with a carpet square and set up the room like an exercise class. Demonstrate various body stretches and have children participate. Quiz them about ways to stretch: materials that stretch, the ways animals stretch, how stretching is important in our days. Ask which sports require lots of stretching. Discuss how stretching can prevent injury, etc. Reward each child with a treat that he/she has to stretch to reach.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Anita Reiter – Port Library - Beloit Book Title – Stretch (Activity #3) Author – Doreen Cronin Publisher, Year - Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009 Book Description: In the book, the dog asks us, the audience, to stretch with him. He shows many ways you can stretch and how fun it is. Throughout the book, there are many different animals and how they stretch. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Stretching Audience (for kids include age group) – early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Stretch”, space to move Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Each page shows a different kind of stretch. So in the beginning of the book, let the kids know as I read each page to them, we will do the stretches that the dog and his friends are doing. Be creative and let the kids have fun doing the stretches but also acting like the animals in the story.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Chris Chadd – Haysville Community Library Book Title – Wiggle Author – Doreen Cronin Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books, 2005 Book Description: A book that encourages wiggling. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – How Did I Wiggle Today? Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Wiggle”, slips of paper, pencil, push pins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the children that come into the library tell you how they wiggled that day--what they wiggled, where they wigged and how they wiggled. Write down on the slip of paper what each child tells you and have them stick it on a corkboard with a push pin and adult supervision. Read the book and enjoy the chance to wiggle again!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Christie Snyder – Ida Long Goodman Memorial Library Book Title – Who Grew My Soup? Author – Tom Darbyshire Publisher, Year – Publications International Ltd., 2009 Book Description: Phin Quinn declares to his mom he won’t slurp a single spoonful of soup until he knows where his soup comes from. Mr. Mattoo swoops in on a flying tomato to fly Phin from farm to farm, teaching him about amazing veggies and the farmers who grow them. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Soup-er Taste Party Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool to 3rd or 4th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Who Grew My Soup?”, bite-sized samples of veggies found in vegetable soup as well as a whole raw sample to view (carrots, tomatoes, beans, barley, corn, potatoes, spinach, peas, celery). Consider making vegetable soup ahead of time in a crockpot. Could pair with Stone Soup. Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Check with local grocer or farmers to see if they would donate veggies to sample. Chop and clean veggies before hand and bag them up for tasting. Talk with kids about vegetable soup and what it is made of. Ask where they think the ingredients come from. Read the book, then taste vegetables as Phin does. Share tastes, textures and smells. Try a taste of soup and talk about how the vegetables changed after cooking. Compare the tastes, textures and smells. Optional: Take a field trip to a farm. (or a patron with a large garden or town community garden plot)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Laurie Costlow – Overbrook Public Library Book Title – Jamberry Author – Bruce Degen Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 1983 Book Description: A boy and a bear are searching for berries for jam. There is a lot of alliteration in this book. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Berry Hop Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Jamberry”, prepare sheets showing the activity for each letter for the children to use Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Explain to the children that berries are used to make jam. A boy and a bear go on a very active adventure looking for berries in the book. The word “berry” occurs many times in the story. I would suggest having the children hop every time you read the word “berry”. Read the story to the children and let them hop around. After the story explain that berries are a healthy food/fruit. Ask if any of them have eaten berries. Explain that berries and other fruits should be eaten every day for good health.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Cheryl Foster – Parents As Teachers - Stafford Book Title – Alligator Arrived with Apples: A Potluck Alphabet Feast Author – Crescent Dragonwagon Publisher, Year – First Aladdin Picture Books, 1992 Book Description: From alligator’s apples to zebra’s zucchinis, a multitude of alphabetical animals and foods celebrate Thanksgiving with a wonderful feast. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – An Alphabet Feast Audience (for kids include age group) – parents with toddlers/preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Alligator Arrived with Apples: A Potluck Alphabet Feast”, samples of some of the foods (for this age, select 5-6 of the alphabet/animals to highlight - A, B, C, & X, Y, Z), food magazines, scissors, glue sticks Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book with the group (or select parts of the book) as in a “story time”. If available, sing some songs about the different foods. Break into centers. Examples: Food Tasting Center-choose 4-5 foods from the book to sample. Craft Center-cut out food pictures from magazines. Glue the pictures in a “zip lock book baggie” format. After the centers, gather the group for a closing.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Ericka Brunson – Manhattan Public Library Book Title – Burger Boy (Activity #1) Author – Alan Durant Publisher, Year – Clarion Books, 2006 Book Description: Benny loved burgers—so much he became one. Through his crazy adventures, Benny realizes he needs to alter his diet to include healthy foods. When Benny eats too many vegetables, kids learn everything is good in moderation. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Moderation Motivation! Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K, and kindergarten Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Burger Boy”, Flannel Board pieces, puppet with stomach Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Have a flannel with an ant, mouse, dog, tiger, whale, and as many as you want. Have cards with food—a crumb, cheese, burger, pie, pizza (substitute real foods, if needed). Match appropriate portions. 2. Have a puppet with a stomach, like the “Old Lady Who Swallowed…”). Have the kids put foods in her mouth until she’s huge and bulky. Talk about overeating and portion control/moderation.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Angie Zehr Book Title – Burger Boy (Activity #2) Author – Alan Durant Publisher, Year - Anderson Press LTD., 2005 Book Description: Benny only wants to eat burgers. His mother tells him he is going to become a burger and he does. He soon realizes he needs to find a balance. He eats vegetables and becomes a boy again. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Healthy Balance Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Burger Boy”, plastic food items, box or bag, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), cut-up fruits/veggies and low fat milk for a snack Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Place plastic food items in the box/bag. Have the children pull out 5 items. Show the MyPyramid poster and discuss if these items would make a “balanced” meal. Have the kids practice balancing=balance on one foot, with eyes closed, balance on a board, etc. Serve fruits and veggies with milk to help “balance” the children’s day.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Stephanie Robker – Turner Community Library Book Title – Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables A to Z (Activity #1) Author – Lois Ehlert Publisher, Year – Harcourt, 1989 Book Description: A large variety of fruits and vegetables are pictured and named. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Name it, Try it Audience (for kids include age group) – families Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables A to Z”, as many fruits and veggies in the book as the budget allows for tasting (some need to be cooked), copies of the book or pages from the book copied to hand out to families Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book with the families. Pass out copies of the book or pages copied to each family. Provide samples of fruits and veggies from the book. Get families to try as many different fruits and veggies as possible. Have families mark off on lists what fruits/veggies they tried. Talk about what they liked, didn’t like, or had never tried before. Maybe offer prizes to families that tried the most fruits and veggies offered.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Candee Jacobs – Holton City Library Book Title – Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables A to Z (Activity #2) Author – Lois Ehlert Publisher, Year – Harcourt, 1989 Book Description: A good introduction to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in an alphabet format. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Eat Your Colors (Variation) Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Eating the Alphabet”, fruit and vegetable bean bags, pictures of fruits and vegetables, a large rainbow template, seasonal fruit samples to taste Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Discuss the alphabet. 2. Read the book to the children. 3. Show and tell about the bean bag fruits/veggies or pictures. 4. Lay out the large rainbow template and hand out the fruit/veggie pictures to the children. 5. Let the children put their fruit or veggie on the appropriate color of the rainbow. 6. Give the children a quick pep talk about being strong, making good eating choices (like eating fruits/veggie) and then provide samples of seasonal fruits to taste. *If a rainbow template is not available, you could have kids put the fruit/veggies on rainbow colored pieces of construction paper. Optional: Could practice the ABC’s with the children, sing the ABC song and parade around the library.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sandy Wilkerson – SEKLS Book Title – Nuts to You Author – Lois Ehlert Publisher, Year – Harcourt, 1993 Book Description: A small child encounters a squirrel. The squirrel comes inside, but when the child puts nuts outside the squirrel leaves to go get them. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Let’s Go Nuts Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Nuts to You”, music (high action), large area, vegetable and fruit seeds with matching pictures of the seed’s fruit or vegetable, cupcake liners Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – With the children, talk about what the squirrel did in the story. He digs, jumps, walks on tiptoe, creeps inside, looks around, peaks, holds a nut and eats. Start the music and ask the children to be squirrels and “go nuts” doing the actions mentioned. 2nd Activity – Recognize Seeds (for preschool and kindergarten) Bring seeds from a variety of fruits and veggies. In a cupcake liner, place a single seed from a fruit or veggie. Glue a picture of the whole fruit or veggie in the bottom and ask the child to identify the seed. You can also use the actual fruit or veggie for matching. Talk about what squirrels eat (different nuts), and how they store their food (by burying it all winter). Can also be followed by planting a seed if time allows.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Sarah Wamsley – Healthy Kids Challenge Book Title – How to Speak Moo! Author – Deborah Fajerman Publisher, Year – Barron’s Educational Series, 2002 Book Description: This cute book makes an effective read-aloud when discussing where milk comes from. Using rhyming, clever phrasing and bright illustrations, the funny world of moo-speak comes alive! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Drink Think For Health Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “How to Speak Moo!”, a stuffed cow for a prop, clean empty milk cartons, ball to roll Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children and talk about how milk is a healthy drink for them. Explain that milk helps them build strong bones and teeth. Ask how many of them drink milk? Talk about having milk with a snack or at meals. Show children an empty milk carton and read some of the nutrients in milk from the Nutrition Facts label, like protein and calcium. bowling activity: Line up the empty milk cartons in a “bowling” formation and let each of the children have a turn to knock down the empty cartons.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Maribel Sandoval – Grant County Library Book Title – The Wide-mouthed Frog (pop-up book) Author – Keith Faulkner Publisher, Year - Dial Books for Young Readers, 2000 Book Description: Little Frog goes around the pond asking what other animals eat; a bird, a mouse and then the alligator. The alligator tells Frog he eats wide-mouthed frogs…Frog then puckers up his lips and goes away with a splash. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Frogs Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Wide-mouthed Frog”, “fly” bean bags and a “frog” made out of a box Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and tell the kids that they need to feed the frog his favorite snack…flies. The kids will stand behind a line and toss flies (bean bags) into the frog’s mouth (box).



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Jacque Sherrill – Jetmore Public Library Book Title – Feast For 10 Author – Cathryn Falwell Publisher, Year - Clarion Books, 1993 Book Description: Numbers from 1-10 are used to tell how members of a family shop and work together to prepare a meal. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Feast For 10 Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 1st grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Feast For 10”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), Flannel Board, plastic foods and utensils, a “cart” or box to serve as one, a brown paper bag, Flannel pieces depicting objects in the story Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As the story is read, focus on the MyPyramid food groups and counting individual items. The activity could be done with one child or several. Highlight the family’s involvement in healthy eating. Have the children add the appropriate items to the “cart” during shopping. Next, the foods are removed (bought) and placed in the paper bag (which also serves to put them away). Continue using the flannel figures and pretend foods to represent families, utensils, food preparation, and then set the table.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Melanie Engel – Oakley Public Library Book Title – Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (Activity #1) Author – Candace Fleming Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2002 Book Description: Three hungry bunnies try to get into Mr. McGreely’s garden. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Plant a Garden Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!”, gardening tools, seeds, containers, soil Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Pretend play planting a garden. Talk to the children about vegetables and their colors. Have the children plant a seed.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Lynn Thompson – Derby Public Library Book Title – Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (Activity #2) Author – Candace Fleming Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002 Book Description: Mr. McGreely plants a garden. Some bunnies decide to taste what he has planted every night. Every Day Mr. McGreely is angry at them and puts up things to keep them out. There are lots of sounds. In the end, when Mr. McGreely harvests the vegetables, the bunnies join him in eating the vegetables. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Munch Your Veggies Audience (for kids include age group) – ages 3-5 Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!”, pictures of the veggies in the book (made with cardstock and laminating sheets, Velcro) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and when it comes to the sounds, have the children make those sounds. Then, repeat the story letting the children fill in the blanks - may have to ask questions. Focus in on the vegetables, asking what they are and their color. May want to have the “bunnies (children)” sort the veggies by colors.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Lori Heller – Emporia Public Library Book Title – Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (Activity #3) Author – Candace Fleming Publisher, Year – Atheneum, 2002 Book Description: After planting the garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Muncha! Muncha! Move! Audience (for kids include age group) – Children and Families, ages 2-7 Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!”, adequate space for practicing locomoter and non-locomotor skills Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Upon first reading of the book, encourage the children to use non-locomotor skills… hoeing, sowing, stretching as a garden grows “Yum! Yum! Yummy! –patting tummy, “Mucha! Muncha! Muncha! –pretending to eat when Mr. McGreely is angry-shaking fist building fences, etc. – pretend to hammer “Dive-paddle, Splash! Splash! Splash! – pretend to swim Read the story once again, allowing the children to role play using locomotor skills…. “Tippy-tippy-tippy, Pat!” “Dig-scrabble, Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!” “Spring-hurdle, Dash! Dash! Dash! Etc.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sue McAllaster – Horton Public Library Book Title – Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (Activity #4) Author – Candace Fleming Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002 Book Description: Mr. McGreely wants to plant a vegetable garden. The hungry little bunnies come at night to munch on his vegetables. See what happens next! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Green Machine Audience (for kids include age group) – K-4th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!”, an energetic audience of children, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Divide the children into 2 groups: one group will pretend to be Mr. McGreely, the other group will be the bunnies. As the story is read: The bunnies will hop (tippy tippy pat) munch (open and shut hands) dive and paddle (arms dive and splash motions). Mr. McGreely will pretend to dig, pound with a hammer, saw and do a wiggly, jiggly dance then climb, jump, squeeze and crawl. At the end, all will Mucha! Muncha! Muncha! Discuss with the children vegetable foods that are green for example. Explain where they would be on MyPyramid. Ask how many green veggies the children have eaten today. Ask what green veggies they like. Continue with different colors.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sunny Church – West Wyandotte Branch of KCKPL Book Title – Lunch Author – Denise Fleming Publisher, Year – Henry Holt and Co., 1992 Book Description: A very hungry mouse eats a large lunch comprised of colorful foods. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Act Out with a Mouse Audience (for kids include age group) – Ages 3 and up Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), mouse puppet, flannel board with flannel fruits and vegetables (can also have plastic ones or put pictures on tongue depressors) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story, and then have kids act out as you read the story again. Either have the mouse puppet take flannel board items and put on the board or hold up plastic items. Keep the plastic items in a basket and pass around for the kids to pick up. Talk about the colors of the fruits and veggies and where they fit in the MyPyramid poster. Mention fruit and veggie snacks like raw veggies and low fat Ranch dressing dip or fruit pieces dipped in low fat fruited yogurt. Pair this activity with Mouse Paint by Walsh, Great Enormous Turnip by Tolstoy, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Numeroff and Seven Blind Mice by Young.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Ruthann Crawshaw – McCracken Public Library Book Title – Oliver’s Vegetables Author – Vivian French Publisher, Year – Orchard Books, 1995 Book Description: Oliver is a boy who only ate French fries at home. One day he goes to his grandparents who have a garden and he learns a few things about vegetables. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Color Your Food Audience (for kids include age group) – kindergarten through 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Oliver’s Vegetables”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), examples of different vegetables-real, plastic or pictures Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Hand out the vegetables to the children to see. Show the MyPyramid poster and explain where the vegetable group is located. Ask each child what their vegetable is and what color. Explain that we want to eat vegetables with a variety of different colors for good health.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Louella Kaiser – WaKeeney Public Library Book Title – Food Play Author – Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers Publisher, Year – Chronicle Books, 2006 Book Description: Character faces or animals are made with fruits and veggies. Just pictures, no words. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Food Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – Kindergarten, 1st grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Food Play” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) - Done as a circle story, show a picture from the book and have the kids tell a story about the picture using colors, shapes and foods in their description.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Judy Wondra – Independent Township - Claflin Book Title – Fast Food Author – Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers Publisher, Year - Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006 Book Description: Playful text and illustrations invite children to play with their food. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Moving Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Fast Food”, look through the book at the food pictures and gather fruits and vegetables to make some of the examples with the children, knife, peeler, cutting boar, toothpicks Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As you are reading, have the kids perform the activities mentioned: walk (walk around the room), run (run in place), skip (skip in a circle), riding (move like a train or car), hauling (move like a truck hauling a heavy load), flying (move like an airplane), and floating (float still like a boat). Gather the children in a group and make one or two of the fruit/vegetable examples in the book. Or make ahead and tell the children how you did it, let them touch and feel the examples.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Sharon Stepter – Delphos Public Library Book Title – Why Must I…Exercise? Author – Jackie Gaff Publisher, Year - Evans Brothers LTD., 2005 Book Description: Discovery Book Series: This is about exercise, stretching, strengthening, breathing, food and sleep. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Stay Fit, Stay Healthy: The Steps to Healthy Success Audience (for kids include age group) – 6-12 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Why Must I…Exercise?”, playground or open area, healthy snacks-fruits and veggies, handouts with MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children and do the motions mentioned. Explain the Five for Life motto: Five activity steps and Five food groups for Success Step 1: Warm-up: Stretch one arm at a time across the chest and hold. Do arm circles. (shoulder, back and arm muscles) Step 2: Exercise: jog, dance, run, play sports or on outdoor playground equipment, etc. Step 3: Cool Down: Gentle stretching of legs, arms and body. Step 4: Healthy Snacks: Choose snacks from a rainbow of colors for variety. (Provide fruit and veggie snack.) Step 5: Sleep: Have a handout about the hours of sleep needed for each age group.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Sharon Snively – Delphos Public Library Book Title – Why Must I…Eat Healthy? Author – Jackie Gaff Publisher, Year - Evans Brothers LTD., 2005 Book Description: Discovery Book Series: The book explains the importance of a healthy diet, the reasons for avoiding too much sugar and fat, and gives a simple explanation of the digestive system. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Down the Hatch with Healthy Food or Balance My Fruits and Veggies Audience (for kids include age group) – kindergarten through early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Why Must I…Eat Healthy?”, plastic or bean bag fruits and veggies and other food items, large MyPyramid Diagram (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), Balance Board-a board with plastic cone underneath Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Show and explain the MyPyramid diagram. Have the kids place the food items in the appropriate food groups. Use the Balance Board: Place the fruits and veggies on the board and make it balance to show a healthy diet with fruits and veggies. Make sure there are several colors of fruits and veggies distributed equally. Tell children that if you put all of one color on one side, it won’t balance. If you have any food items that are high sugar and fat, put those on one side of the balance and healthy foods on the other (make sure the high sugar and fat foods are heavier than the healthy foods side) and show that too many high fat and high sugar foods lead to an unbalanced diet.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Candis Henel – Cimarron City Library Book Title – The Three Little Pigs Author – A Golden Book Publisher, Year Random House Disney – 2005 Book Description: The fairy tale re-told of the three little pigs. They build 3 houses; 2 are weak and 1 is strong. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Don’t Get “Blown Away” by a Bad Diet Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Three Little Pigs”, plastic fruits and veggies, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), measuring cups, may want to bring slices of bread or other grain products to show servings in the grain group Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Show the MyPyramid poster and explain the different food groups. Show some examples of the amounts needed to be eaten daily: Grains-6 oz. (show slices of bread, small tortillas, etc.), Vegetables-2-1/2 c. (show measuring cups and plastic examples), Fruits-2 c., Milk- 2 c., Meat and Beans-5-1/2 oz. Play a game with the plastic fruits and veggies. Hold up the food example and let the children guess which food pyramid group it goes in. Mention in the story that 2 little pigs made “weak houses” of straw and sticks. State that if we don’t eat HEALTHY choosing foods from MyPyramid, we have a weak body that can be “BLOWN AWAY”. If we do eat HEALTHY, we will have a strong body and can’t be “BLOWN AWAY”.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Nancy Stover– Williamsburg Community Library Book Title – Eat Your Peas Author – Kes Gray Publisher, Year – Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2006 Book Description: A little girl doesn’t want to eat her peas. Her mother tries bribing her with many offers. Finally, the girl tells her mother she will eat the peas, if her mom will eat her Brussels sprouts. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Eat Your Colors/Vegetable Rainbow Audience (for kids include age group) – all age groups Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Eat Your Peas”, pictures of vegetables the kids can paste, paper, crayons, glue sticks, a handout of recipes using peas for the adults, samples of peas to taste, paper plates and plastic spoons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Have the children draw a rainbow on a piece of paper with 5 arches for the different vegetable colors: Green, Red, Orange/Yellow, Blue/Purple, and White. Have the children color in the arches for each color of vegetable they like or have eaten. Are there any colors of vegetables that haven’t been colored? Consider trying a vegetable from that color group. Have kids go ahead and color in all the color groups. Give the children pictures of different vegetables and paste them in the appropriate color group on the rainbow. Talk with the children about “eating their colors”, choosing vegetables and fruits from colors of the rainbow. Mention that if they don’t like a particular vegetable to keep trying it, sometimes if it is cooked or prepared differently they may change their minds. Let children sample peas prepared differently: raw, cooked, frozen, with cheese sauce, etc.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kathleen McConney – Norton Public Library Book Title – The Apple Pie Tree Author – Zoe Hall Publisher, Year – Blue Sky Press, 1996 Book Description: The book tells how an apple tree goes from brown and bare to full of apples; autumn to spring, every year. The apples are then used to make apple pies. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Make an Apple Tree Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Apple Pie Tree”, a large tree pattern (large enough for a bulletin board) with leaves and branches roughly 5 to 6 inches, red and green apple cut outs for the kids to use, crayons or washable markers, red and green apples for tasting samples Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Put the tree pattern with branches and leaves up on the bulletin board. Each child will pick their favorite color apple cut out. Ask the children if there is a different flavor between the apple colors. Each child will put their name on their apple cut out and decorate it with crayons or markers. Display the children’s apples on the bulletin board with the tree. Talk with children about how trees grow and other ways to eat apples. Provide 1 red and 1 green apple slice per child.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Susan Mueller – Herington Public Library Book Title – Red Are the Apples Author – Marc Harshman and Cheryl Ryan Publisher, Year – Harcourt, Inc., 2006 Book Description: The book starts from the dirt and seed, to growing, then harvesting fruits and vegetables. It also describes the foods to eat and juices to drink, along with preserving foods. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Growing Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Red Are the Apples”, space to move, colored paper Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and talk about apples as a healthy snack. Lay colored paper shapes on the floor to match the colors in the book. Have children move to the color then do actions to match words in the book (stretching, climbing, sitting).



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Goldie Harkins– Richmond Public Library Book Title – Peas Author – Nicholas Heller Publisher, Year – Greenwillow Books, 1993 Book Description: A little boy doesn’t like his peas and after refusing to eat them, he has a dream that the peas get out of the bowl and go for a ride on his electric train. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Eat Your Peas! Audience (for kids include age group) – 1 year and up Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Peas”, a table Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and have the kids crawl around like an electric train would move, go under a table, and then pretend to eat their peas.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Madella Williams – Finney County Public Library Book Title – Kitten’s First Full Moon Author – Kevin Henkes Publisher, Year - Greenwillow Press, 2004 Book Description: Kitten sees her first full moon and thinks it is a bowl of milk. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Milk Does a Body Good Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Kitten’s First Full Moon”, low fat milk, instant pudding, measuring cup, and instant pudding shakers, paper cups and spoons, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the children do the various actions that kitten does as the book is read. After the story is read, talk about the number of servings from the MyPyramid milk group (2 servings for this age group) that is recommended for them each day. Talk about what foods would be in the Milk group. Talk about drinking milk as a healthy beverage along with water. Make several containers of instant shaker pudding by getting the children to shake it. Point out it takes lots of movement to mix the pudding. Let the kids eat the pudding for a snack and mention it is a healthy snack because of the milk in it.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sheryl Davidson – Abilene Public Library Book Title – Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli Author – Barbara Jean Hicks Publisher, Year – Random House, Inc. 2009 Book Description: Monsters insist they don’t like broccoli. They’d rather snack on tractors, rocket ships, or wheely steely stew. But the trees they’re munching on look like broccoli! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Monster Snack Attack Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli”, supplies to make monster headbands (A pattern for a monster headband can be found on page 19 in Carson Dellosa’s “Art Projects for All Seasons” book- ISBN 044222110871), healthy snacks for the kids Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – The phrase “Fum-Fo-Fie-Fee Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli” is repeated several times. When it’s stated, have the kids stand up, stomp like a monster and say these words with you. Talk about how healthy fruits and veggies are to eat. After reading the book, have children make monster headbands. Let the kids help decide what the different foods will be (tractors, rocketships, trees…) and then be monsters eating their snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Linda Wunderly – Mary Sommerville Library Book Title – Bread and Jam for Francis Author – Russell Hoban Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 1992 Book Description: Francis, a badger, only wants to eat bread and jam sandwiches for every meal. Mother badger decides to let Francis eat bread and jam sandwiches for each meal, but soon decides that she wants other foods too. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Foods I Like Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool and possibly older Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bread and Jam for Francis”, food pictures children can color, crayons, additional food pictures mentioned in the book, samples of foods mentioned in the book for tasting, small plates Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Read the book and have children discuss and color pictures of foods mentioned in the book and their favorite foods. 2. Refer to the book and enjoy the poems describing the foods. 3. Refer to the book and list the foods her family and friends are eating. 4. Discuss why Francis’ mother let her eat bread and jam at each meal. 5. Discuss why Francis decided to try something else. 6. Allow children to taste foods listed in the book. Let them also taste a sample of a bread and jam sandwich.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: June DeWeese – Enterprise Library Book Title – Hot Fudge Author – James Howe Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books, 2004 Book Description: A special batch of fudge disappears. Harold (dog), Chester (cat), Howie (dog) search for the fudge. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Let’s Pretend! Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K but could be adapted to older ages Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Hot Fudge”, small servings of fudge for each child (when giving fudge talk about proper serving sizes for desserts) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Have kids pretend to be a dog wanting fudge. What does the dog do to beg? (bark, sit up, whimper, paw your leg) What does the dog do when you give it the fudge? (wiggle with joy, lie on the floor and moan –chocolate isn’t good for dogs) 2. Pretend to be a little child wanting fudge. How would you act? (jump up and down, excited) How might you act after eating too much? (rub your tummy, lie on the floor and moan



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Bertha Rhoads – Udall Public Library Book Title – Don’t Forget the Bacon! Author – Pat Hutchins Publisher, Year – Mulberry Big Books, 1979 Book Description: Mom sends her child shopping with money and a basket but no list. The child is to remember the list. He gets fresh air, exercise and a lesson in remembering. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Gather Your Goodies Audience (for kids include age group) – all ages Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Don’t Forget the Bacon!” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and divide the group up in teams with an adult in each team. Give each team a verbal list of healthy foods and send them on a planned trip, like a scavenger hunt. Notify neighbors or selected people who know they are coming and will have the food list items on hand. The foods on the verbal list should be healthy and something that can be eaten as a snack when the teams return. List item suggestions: celery, carrots, peanut butter, crackers, juice, low fat microwave popcorn, pretzels, apples, oranges



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Brenda Honea – Horton Public Library Book Title – The Doorbell Rang Author – Pat Hutchins Publisher, Year – Green Willow Books, New York, 1986 Book Description: Ma makes cookies to share but not as good as grandma’s. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Sharing, County and Communication Audience (for kids include age group) – 1st through 8th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Doorbell Rang”, bell, cookies (veggies or fruit could be a substitute), napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Then have 1 adult go to another room with a tray of cookies or fruit and veggie samples. Start with 2 children going into the room after ringing the bell. Have those 2 children figure out how many food samples there are and how many each of them would get. Now have 2 more children ring the bell and go into the room. Have those 2 children figure out how many food samples there are and how many all 4 of them would get. Continue this process until all the children have entered the room. Explain that sharing with friends is nice and that the more friends you have to share with, the healthier the portions for cookies and other desserts. Next, have each child choose an exercise to do like jumping jacks, hopping, etc. Depending on which group they were in and how many food samples they thought they were getting; they will do their exercise that number of times. Explain how communication is important to figure out problems and in this case to determine how many food samples they were to get.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kathy Ellison – Topeka Shawnee County Public Library Book Title – Bumpety Bump Author – Pat Hutchins Publisher, Year – Harper, 2006 Book Description: A boy helps his grandfather on the farm, showing the hen that follows them, all that he can do. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – My Garden Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bumpety Bump”, brown construction paper, a variety of garden seeds with pictures matching the seeds, crayons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children and let them know that now they will be making a Garden/Eat Your Colors chart. Give each child a piece of brown construction paper which is their “garden”. They will make 3 garden rows across the sheet of paper with crayons. To the left of each row, have each child glue a picture of a vegetable. Then give the children seeds for each of the vegetable pictures they have chosen. Let the children glue the seeds in the row with the appropriate picture. Talk about the different colors of fruits and veggies. Encourage children to “eat their colors” and their garden picture will remind them.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Eric Coulbourne – Great Bend Public Library Book Title – I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie Author – Alison Jackson Publisher, Year - Dutton Children’s Books, 1997 Book Description: Classic “old lady who swallowed a fly”, only it’s a pie. A nice book about the Thanksgiving story. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Parachute Food Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – 5 years old through early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie”, a parachute, stuffed toy representations of pie, cider, squash, salad, turkey, potatoes, cake, bread Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have children form a circle around the parachute. Show them how to ripple the parachute. As you read the story, toss in each stuffed toy item that the old lady has eaten. Have the children repeat what the lady has eaten. In the end, raise the parachute and gather under it and say “the lady is full”! You can talk about healthy portion sizes of these stuffed food items so that you won’t over eat and get too full!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Tram Nguyen – Mulvane Public Library Book Title – Move! Author – Steve Jenkins and Robin Page Publisher, Year – Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006 Book Description: An introduction to motion in the animal kingdom. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Move and Groove! Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Move!” animal pictures or toys to assist Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As the librarian reads the book, have the participants act out the motions in the book. Afterwards, show toys or pictures of animals and see what motions they would make. (Select animals not already listed in the book.) Example: How does a kangaroo move? (If participants have trouble, have the toy jump like a kangaroo.)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Unknown Book Title – Little Bunny Foo Foo : Told and Sung by the Good Fairy Author – Paul Brett Johnson Publisher, Year – Scholastic, Inc. 2004 Book Description: A book that encourages wiggling. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Bunny’s Walk Through the Forrest Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool through age 8 Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Little Bunny Foo Foo: Told and Sung by the Good Fairy”, pictures of animals and a fairy Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book, have kids march through the aisles pretending it’s the forest. At various spots they can pretend they are the animals (mice, woodchucks, foxes, bears) doing actions like the animals and the fairy. At the end of the book, the fairy waves her wand and declares, “Hare today, Goon tomorrow”. Bunny learns he can be turned into a “goon” for his naughty behavior.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Leah Oswala – Iola Public Library Book Title – The Wolf’s Chicken Stew (Activity #1) Author – Keiko Kasza Publisher, Year – G.P. Putnam and Sons, 1987 Book Description: Wolf tries to fatten up the chicken for a chicken stew he’s been craving only to find out that all the extra servings of sweets he was leaving for the chicken were being fed to all her little chicks. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Sweetness Relay Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Wolf’s Chicken Stew”, a big stew pot, wooden spoon, 12 small round paper plates (pancakes), 12 plastic rings to stack (doughnuts), 12 different size boxes to stack Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Divide children into teams. Divide game pieces between teams and place at one end of the room with the teams at the other end of the room. Have a relay with the children racing to bring back a game piece and stack it. The first team to finish and bring back all the pieces gets to bang the stewpot. Talk about healthy portions of foods and that sharing sweets with someone is better than eating the whole thing.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Linda Seymore – Barnard Library Book Title – The Wolf’s Chicken Stew (Activity #2) Author – Keiko Kasza Publisher, Year – South China Printing Co., 1987 Book Description: A bad wolf who loves to eat, wants chicken stew. He finds a chicken and plans to cook it, but it’s too skinny. The wolf goes about “fattening” the chicken by feeding her unhealthy foods. See what happens… Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Fatten the Chicken with Healthier Choices Audience (for kids include age group) – First through 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Wolf’s Chicken Stew”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), examples of different foods in the story and in MyPyramid-real, plastic or pictures Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Show the MyPyramid poster and identify what was unhealthy about Wolf’s food choices and which part of the pyramid his choices were from. (Example: donuts-grains food group but at the top of the pyramid with higher fat and sugar foods-eat less and/or smaller portions). Suggest healthier foods like whole grains, low fat milk, fruits and veggies, and lean meats and beans. Reinforce that kids should “eat their colors”. Have each child pick food items from each of the pyramid slices and make their own “menu” of foods for fattening up the chicken. The leader could choose the top one, two or three examples form the group’s menus.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Virginia Shepard – Ogden Public Library Book Title – Johnny Appleseed Author – Steven Kellogg (A Tall Tale Retold and Illustrated by) Publisher, Year – Harper Collins Publishing, 1988 Book Description: The story of how apple trees were planted across the country. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Healthy Apples Everywhere Audience (for kids include age group) – 2-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Johnny Appleseed”, sharp knife, apples, low fat cream cheese or peanut butter, plastic knives, miniature marshmallows, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the kids. Talk about how apples are a healthy snack to eat. Pretend to plant apple seeds—dig and water. Make Apple Smile Snacks: Have an adult core and slice the apples in thin slices. Let children spread peanut butter or low fat cream cheese on one side of an apple slice and sprinkle with marshmallows. Then, have them spread another apple slice side and press together with the marshmallows in the middle making a “smile”.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sharon Triebel – Edna Public Library Book Title – Choco-Louie Author – Jeff Kindley Publisher, Year – Bantam Books, 1996 Book Description: A chocolate lover takes a challenge from his brother to do without chocolate for a week. He will get his brother’s skateboard if he wins. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – MyPyramid Balance Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Choco-Louie”, pictures of healthy foods and snacks from MyPyramid, a MyPyramid poster Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Show kids the MyPyramid poster and explain the healthy foods in it. Talk about how eating too much chocolate puts the food pyramid out of balance and leaves them with less energy and maybe feeling sick. Help children place food pictures in the MyPyramid food groups. Encourage each child to take their picture to the MyPyramid placed on the floor, using a different body movement, such as hopping, jumping, crawling, etc.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Jean Schlegel – Ness City Public Library Book Title – How Do You Read to a Rabbit? Author – Andrea Wayne von Konigslow Publisher, Year - Annick Press, 2010 Book Description: Everyone likes a bedtime story, but have you every read to an animal? Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Animal Actions Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “How Do You Read to a Rabbit?”, pictures or the names of each animal in the story written out, music CD and player Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Next, lay down pictures of the animals or the names written out in a circle on the floor, all face down, but one. Have the children stand by a picture. Play music (suggest “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”) and the children walk around the circle. When the music stops, the child in front of the turned up picture/name of the animal acts or walks like that animal. Turn another picture/name up and continue until all animals have been turned over.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Wendy Mitchell – Clay Center Carnegie Library Book Title – Excuse Me! Author – Lisa Kopelke Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2003 Book Description: Frog loves to eat and loves to burp. He gets in trouble for burping and sent away. Later he realizes that it is okay to burp but polite to say “excuse me”. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Excuse Me! Froggy Relay Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K through first grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Excuse Me!” chairs, tape Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have kids practice saying, “excuse me”. Divide into 2 groups. Kids hop like a frog from one end of the room and back, or around a chair, or to a line and back. When they reach the end they must tell the next child in line, “excuse me” before they can start hoping.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Stacey Strickland – Stevens County Library Book Title – Punk Farm Author – Jarrett J. Krosoczka Publisher, Year - Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 Book Description: When Farmer Joe goes to bed, the farm comes alive with the sounds of the farm animal’s rock band, “Punk Farm”! A “rock” version of Old MacDonald. Very cute! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Air Band Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-7 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Punk Farm” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Before you begin reading; prep the kids in different “Air Band” actions. Cow=Drums (Boom, crash instead of “Moo”) Pig=Electric Guitar (Ray-roo-ree instead of “Oink”) Chicken=Keyboard (Beep, beep instead of “Cluck”) Goat=Bass (Brum, brum instead of “Baaa”) Children also need to act out as a crowd going WILD! Include lots of jumping, clapping, and cheering. As you read, the children are to act out the various instruments, and many will even sing along. Note: Put a lot of your inner rock star into the reading! Be crazy and creative!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Careasa Griffith – Kanopolis Public Library Book Title – Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? Author – Bonnie Lass and Philemon Sturges Publisher, Year - Little Brown and Co., 2000 Book Description: Skunk is trying to figure out who took the cookies from the cookie jar. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Who has the Cookies? Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?”, cookies made from construction paper or other materials, masks or stick puppets representing the animals, Teddy Grahams for the “cookies” as a snack Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Assign each child an animal from the book for them to be and tell them who to “accuse”. Give the “ant” the cookies to hide behind them. Have the children stand in a circle with the “skunk” in the middle. The reader reads the story and “skunk” walks to each animal to ask about the cookies. At the end, “ant” hands “cookies” out to everyone. The children eat and then play some more.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Terry Born – Graves Memorial Public Library Book Title – Lunch at the Zoo (Activity #1) Author – Brenda Cartee Lee Publisher, Year – Little Cottage Books, 2003 Book Description: The book is about zoo animals and what they eat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Move Like an Animal Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-6 or 7 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch at the Zoo” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Show the children the different animals in the book and what they eat for breakfast and during the day. Mention that fruits and veggies are good for humans to eat too. Have each child or several children move like the animals about the room.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Melinda Hall – Eureka Public Library Book Title – Lunch at the Zoo (Activity #2) Author – Brenda Cartee Lee Publisher, Year – Little Cottage Books, 2003 Book Description: A little boy does not want to eat the food his mother has prepared. Instead he goes to the zoo to eat his meals with the animals. What a surprise when he discovers the food the animals eat is very much the same as that his mother has prepared. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Let’s Go on a Food Hunt! Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch at the Zoo”, pictures of animals and their food to put at the different stations, snack-food samples from the book, plates or napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Based on the favorite rhyme, “Let’s Go on a Bear Hunt”, the leader reads the book to the children. Next, lead the group on a food hunt through the zoo. The children will move from station (where animal pictures and food examples are displayed) to station as they follow the story. While moving, children can also do the actions appropriate for the animals in the book. Conclude with snacks.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Cathy Sherfick – WaKeeney Library Book Title – Lunch at the Zoo (Activity #3) Author – Brenda Cartee Lee Publisher, Year – Little Cottage Books, 2003 Book Description: A little boy doesn’t like his breakfast so he went to the zoo to see what the animals eat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Bend and Stretch to eat like the Animals Audience (for kids include age group) - Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch at the Zoo”, Prepare ahead paper ears, noses and tails so kids can wear and distinguish between the different animal. Bowls, trays and plastic food items Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) - Note that some animals sit to eat and others stand to eat. Have some children wear the paper ears, noses and tails and pretend to be the different zoo animals. Have other children act out the zoo keepers bringing the food on trays and in bowls to the animals for each meal. Instruct the children to bend down like the standing animals eating from the tray of food on the ground. Now have the children pretend they must get the fruit up in high trees to feed the birds, so they must reach and stretch up high.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Unknown Book Title – Lunch at the Zoo (Activity #4) Author – Brenda Cartee Lee Publisher, Year – Little Cottage Books, 2003 Book Description: Little Bubba Baxter doesn’t like to eat what he should. He ran away to the zoo and decided to eat what the animals do. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Run and Play Like the Animals at the Zoo Audience (for kids include age group) – kindergarten and first grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch at the Zoo”, pictures of zoo animals-monkey, zebra, parrot, lion, tiger, raccoon, warthog, goat, gorilla, owl, elephant, pink and white flamingoes Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the story, talk about the animals in the story. Hold up pictures of the animals one at a time and the students may “run and play” like the animals. Continue until you have completed all the pictures of the animals or all the animals mentioned in the book.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Khrista Branson – Protection Township Library Book Title – Lunch at the Zoo (Activity #5) Author – Brenda Cartee Lee Publisher, Year - Little Cottage Books, 2003 Book Description: Bright bold pictures with rhyming text talking about foods that healthy zoo animals eat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Learn and Play with Yummy Good Foods Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool and kindergarten Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Lunch at the Zoo”, animal pictures, plastic foods or pictures of foods(include healthy MyPyramid foods and some higher fat and sugar foods), a large food pyramid (made out of construction paper- www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As you are reading the book, hold up a picture of the animal that is on the current page and talk about what it eats. Have a pile of plastic foods or pictures in front of you and have one or two children come up and pick some of the foods to feed the animal. While feeding the animal, allow a 3rd child to do the actions that animal would do. Continue reading the book and having children “feed” and “act like” the different animals. When done reading the book, have the kids notice what foods are left (the higher fat and sugar foods, which may be considered junk food). Talk about why it is important to limit the “junk foods” that we eat and eat plenty of the healthier foods choices. Talk about MyPyramid and have the kids put the foods in the appropriate food groups.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Cari Cusick – Hesston Public Library Book Title – Froggy Learns to Swim Author – Jonathan London Publisher, Year – Scholastic, Inc., 1995 Book Description: Froggy is afraid to swim but works up the courage with help from his mom and his flippers. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Fun with Froggy Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through mid-elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Froggy Learns to Swim”, items to mark start/finish lines, flippers (optional) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have a discussion and ask kids about their favorite activities (swimming, running, basketball, etc.). Were there any activities they were afraid to try that they now enjoy? Any activities they still are afraid to try? How can they overcome their fear? Split kids into even groups for relay races. Have teams line up with a clear start and finish line. For the relay, kids are to mimic their favorite activity while “running” the relay. (Alternately, if you had flippers, have kids run the relay with flippers.) If possible, hand out passes/coupons to local pool/water park.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Willie Markham – Parsons Public Library Book Title – Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 Author – Bill Marin Jr. and Michael Sampson Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004 Book Description: Counting book that involves numbers climbing up an apple tree. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Apple Relay Race Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3”, apples, bell, large number flash cards, bags Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Line the children up on one side of the room and the apple on the other side of the room. Give each child a bag. The leader holds up a flash card from 1 to 10. The children will then walk quickly over to the other side of the room and bring back the number of apples that were on the card and put in their bag. Repeat until all apples are off of the floor and in the children’s bags.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Barb Schul – Parents as Teachers-Holton Book Title – Good for Me and You (Activity #1) Author – Mercer Mayer Publisher, Year – Harper Festival, 2004 Book Description: Little Critter learns about nutrition and exercise in school. He takes information home and shares with family and friends. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Let’s Get Active Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Good for Me and You”, rope, wooden block, “Jack Be Nimble” rhyme cards laminated for each child to take home, fruit slices for snacks, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children, and then provide different movement activities. Have them try to do push-ups like Little Critter does in the story. Jumping rope might be difficult but have the children jump over a rope stretched on the ground. Races could be done if space permits, but if not; the children could crawl, walk backwards, and hop instead of running. Talk about the food choices in the book; of an apple instead of a brownie, salad for the family, snacks at the race. Provide fruit slices for the children to eat as a snack. Send home a laminated activity rhyme, “Jack Be Nimble” and show them how to jump over the wooden block instead of a candlestick.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Jennifer Kenney – Phillipsburg City Library Book Title – Good For Me and You (Activity #2) Author – Mercer Mayer Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 2004 Book Description: The book talks about eating healthy with more vegetables and fruits for more energy to play. It emphasizes that exercise is fun! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Eat Right to Play Right Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool through early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Good For Me and You”, room to move, assorted vegetable and fruit seedies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and talk about the healthy messages with the children: eating fruits and veggies, exercising, etc. Play a vegetable version of “Duck, Duck, Goose”. It’s called “Squash, Squash, Broccoli”. The children set in a circle. One child runs around the outside of the circle and drops the broccoli seedie behind another child. He or she picks it up and races around to the empty spot.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Patricia Horn – Glasco City Library Book Title – Happy and Healthy Author – Sindy McKay Publisher, Year - Treasure Bay, Inc., 2002 Book Description: The book shows active play and exercise, the value of sleep and relaxation, and nutrition as fuel for a healthy body. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Flannel Board Food Pyramid Audience (for kids include age group) – 5-7 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Happy and Healthy”, plastic or bean bag fruits and veggies and other food items, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), a Flannel Board with a blank MyPyramid diagram, pictures of fruits and veggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Show and explain the MyPyramid poster. Show the MyPyramid flannel board and have the kids place the fruit and veggie pictures in the appropriate food groups. For younger kids, you can have colors of the MyPyramid food groups and have the kids match the colors on the pyramid.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Phyllis Tucker – Smith Center Public Library Book Title – Flabby Tabby Author – Penny McKinlay Publisher, Year – Francis Lincoln Limited, 2005 Book Description: Tabby eats and sleeps and is carried everywhere…until the family gets a new active kitten. Tabby decides to start a Secret Feline Fitness Plan! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Secret Feline Fitness! Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Flabby Tabby”, room to move Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Re-read and let the children do the exercises with Tabby. 1. Stretching 2. Sit-ups 3. Press-ups 4. Star jumps (jumping jacks) 5. Jog in place 6. Jump in place 7. Pretend to climb curtains 8. Two-foot jump 9. Balance on one foot 10. Slide side to side Do exercises 1-5 slowly, 6-8 fast, and 9-10 carefully.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Sarah Wamsley – Healthy Kids Challenge Book Title – Eating Well Author – Melanie Mitchell Publisher, Year – Lerner Publishing Group, 2006 Book Description: A book with colorful multicultural photographs depicting young children eating and enjoying a variety of delicious and healthy foods from MyPyramid. General Serving sizes are taught for each food group and physical activity is emphasized as well. A good basic introduction to the concepts of MyPyramid. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Healthy MyPyramid Foods Audience (for kids include age group) – early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Eating Well”, masking tape or painters tape, name tags for the 5 major MyPyramid food groups: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Meat and Beans, many pictures of foods from MyPyramid Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children and talk about all the healthy foods in MyPyramid. Ask each child to name a food they like to eat and help them “discover” which food group in MyPyramid it would fit. If combination foods are mentioned, help them see all the different food groups that are in that food item! (example: pizza) Now, create a MyPyramid on the floor with masking or painter’s tape. Place the food group name tags in the appropriate locations. Give each child 4-5 pictures of foods. Let them place those foods in the appropriate food group on the floor pyramid. Tell the kids they are to “fill up the pyramid with healthy foods”!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Freda Edwards – Altamont Public Library Book Title – Pino and the Signora’s Pasta Author – Janet Pedersen Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2005 Book Description: All cats love the signora’s pasta except for Pino. Something is missing. He searches for the missing ingredient and finds it is love and tolerance. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Trying New Foods Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Pino and the Signora’s Pasta”, samples of different foods to taste test, plates for samples Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book, tell children it is good to try different foods. Provide samples of different foods like whole grain pasta and different fruits and veggies that they can try.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Nicole Oelschlaeger – Linwood Community Library Book Title – Amazing Anthony Ant Author – Lorna and Graham Philpot Publisher, Year – Random House, 1994 Book Description: Anthony Ant goes marching and is sidetracked with many activities. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Marching with Anthony Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Amazing Anthony Ant”, apple slices, peanut butter, raisins, plastic knives, napkins and small paper plates Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the children stand in a circle while marching, singing and clapping as you read the story. Let the children take turns lifting the flaps on the pages of the book. After the story, have the children sit around the table and put peanut butter and raisins on apple slices for their snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kim Priest – Mary Cotton Public Library Book Title – The Little Red Hen Author – Jerry Pinkney Publisher, Year – Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin, 2006 Book Description: Hardback, fully illustrated edition of the classic fable of the hen that is forced to do all the work of baking bread and of the animals who learn a bitter lesson from it. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Baking Bread/Whole Grain Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 year olds and parents Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Little Red Hen”, wheat kernels, flour, yeast, salt, water, fresh bread, jam Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Ask a child to be the hen, others can respond as the other animals. Talk about sharing responsibilities and working together. Activity: Show how to bake bread (K-State Bread in a Bag for kids activity) Make 2 loaves ahead of time to have on hand and serve slices with jam. Simple recipe: 2c. Warm water-110 degrees F 1 pkg. Quick Yeast 1 tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. sugar 3-5 c. whole wheat flour Stir together water and yeast. Add salt and sugar. Add flour 1c. at a time until it forms a ball. Knead about 5 mins. and form into 2 loaves. Put in loaf pans – let rise and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 mins.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mary Asher – Mound City - Mary Sommerville Library Book Title – The Tale of Peter Rabbit Author – Beatrix Potter Publisher, Year – Frederick Warne and Co., 2008 Book Description: The story of Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor’s garden. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Peter Rabbit’s Vegetable Garden Adventure Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”, prepare an obstacle course for “Peter” (the children) to escape the garden-through a tunnel, under the fence, around a flower pot (use boxes, pillows and such to go over, under and around), cards with veggie and fruit pictures, snack samples of fruits and veggies cut up (from the book) or bread, low fat milk and blackberries, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Read the book to the children. 2. Show the food cards and have children place them in the “garden” on the floor. 3. Set up the obstacle course and let the kids go through it pretending to be Peter escaping. (Any child who doesn’t go in the obstacle course can be the bunny siblings at home in the burrow.) 4. After going through the obstacle course, gather the kids and show them the MyPyramid poster and explain the food groups. Have each child place the food card in the appropriate food group on the poster. 5. Have snacks and while children are eating, discuss why Peter’s mother didn’t want him to go to Mr. McGregor’s garden. Where else could Peter have gotten food? Where do you get food?




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: George Seamon - Northwest Kansas Library System Book Title – Oh, the Things You Can Do that are Good for You (Activity #1) Author – Tish Rabe Publisher, Year – Random House Children’s Books, 2001 Book Description: Dr. Seuss’s lovable characters, The Cat in the Hat, returns with great health advice for children, such as exercising, eating right, washing your hands, and brushing your teeth. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Ee–hip-en-hop Pyramid Relay Game Audience (for kids include age group) – 4-10 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Oh, the things you can do that are good for you!”, colored scarves or buckets, color coordinated food cards, two dice Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book. Explain the MyPyramid food groups and foods. Put the scarves or buckets at the opposite end of the room. Place a pile of color coordinated food cards between two lines of kids. One die for each team. The teams select a food group. A team member rolls the die and places that number of food cards on their head and runs, hops, etc. with the cards to the matching food group bucket or scarf. Place the cards on their heads next to the scarf or in the bucket and return the line for the next team member to go. First team to get through the food items for their group wins.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Teresa Wells – Council Grove Public Library Book Title – Oh, the Things You Can Do that are Good for You (Activity #2) Author – Tish Rabe Publisher, Year – Random House, 2001 Book Description: The Cat in the Hat returns with great health advice for children, such as exercising, eating right, washing your hands, and brushing your teeth. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Family Food and Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K through 5th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Oh, the Things You Can Do that are Good for You”, food pictures from the different food groups, music CD and player, large area to play Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – From a healthy family night event: In the gym, food pictures were laid on the floor. The kids ran around the gym while listening to music. Once the music stopped, the kids had to find a food picture. In a bucket were other food pictures from the food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans. The leader drew a picture from the bucket. Those kids that had food pictures that belonged to the food group that was picked were out of the game and allowed to dance on the sideline. The game continued until all the food groups had been shown.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jaclyn White – Rossville Community Library Book Title – Oh, the Things You Can Do that are Good for You (Activity #3) Author – Tish Rabe Publisher, Year – Random House, 2001 Book Description: Learn about staying healthy by the Cat in the Hat, from eating right and getting enough exercise and sleep, to having a positive body image, to the distance and speed of a typical sneeze! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Staying Healthy Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool to young elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Oh, the Things You Can Do that are Good for You”, a fan, crepe paper or ribbon, glitter, tape, paper towels, soap and water(best to use a restroom), magazines with food pictures, gluesticks, paper Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Read the book to the children. 2. Show the kids how far and fast sneezes travel by taping crepe paper or ribbon to a fan and turning it on high. Your “sneeze-meter” is on page 10. 3. Show the kids the importance of washing with soap long enough. Put glitter on hands and wipe with a paper towel. It won’t come off. Wash hands with only water. Still doesn’t come off. Wash with soap and water (while singing the alphabet song to tell how long to wash). Glitter is gone! 4. Have kids cut out food pictures from magazines if they are able or have some already cut. Give each family a MyPyramid poster and have the children glue the food pictures to it in the appropriate food groups. 5. Demonstrate sneezing into your elbow and have the children practice this healthy behavior. During cold and flu season, give a handout to each family on tips to stay healthy (from the book and other resources).



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Jules Tompkins – Stanton County Library Book Title – Yo! Yes? Author – Chris Raschka Publisher, Year - Scholastic Books, 1993 Book Description: Two lonely characters, one black and one white, meet on the street and become friends. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Boys Becoming Friends Audience (for kids include age group) – kindergarten through 5th grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Yo! Yes?”, fruit, a basketball Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children and at the point the boys drink water; mention that it is a healthy drink to drink. At the point that the boys eat fruit; mention it is a healthy snack to eat. Ask kids what their favorite fruits are and if they would be willing to eat them as snacks. Pair up the kids, boys with boys, girls with girls. Read the story again and have the kids act out the parts as you read. Talk about making friends and how it’s important to listen, share (fruit), have similar interests (basketball) and show kindness toward each other.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Barbara Mathews – Baldwin City Library Book Title – Good Night, Gorilla Author – Peggy Rathmann Publisher, Year – G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994 Book Description: A board book about zoo animals Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Escape from the Zoo Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Good Night, Gorilla”, open floor space, paper plates, crayons or markers, plastic fruits or veggies from examples in the book Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – The librarian will make animal faces of those mentioned in the story out of paper plates or let the kids do the animals faces, if old enough. Walk through the story, moving around the room pretending to let each animal out of its cage. Turn out the lights in the room and blackout pages in the story, if appropriate. Give the plastic fruits/veggies to the children for the animals to eat-banana for the monkey, etc. Use plastic keys for the zookeeper (librarian).



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Julianne Newberry – Tonganoxie Library Book Title – Alphabite! A Funny Feast from A to Z Author – Charles Reasoner and Vicky Hardt Publisher, Year – Price, Stern, Sloan, Inc. 1989 Book Description: Move through the alphabet and look at a food for each letter. At the end, see who ate all that food. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Food Sort Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool and a little older Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Alphabite! A Funny Feast from A to Z”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), pictures of each food from the book, construction paper or craft paper, tape, marker Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. After reading, hand out a food picture(or more than one) to each child. Talk about each food and discuss the MyPyramid poster. Help the kids decide what category each food picture goes in. Tape each picture to the MyPyramid poster in the proper category. Alternate Activity: Have smaller scale food pictures and a sheet of construction paper for each child. Talk about what category each food picture fits in MyPyramid. Glue the pictures on the construction paper going across in the categories of the pyramid: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Meat and Beans.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Erin Dodson – Haysville Community Library Book Title – Looking for a Moose Author – Phyllis Root Publisher, Year – Candlewick Press, 2006 Book Description: Children hike through different terrain on their quest to find a moose. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Moose Hunt Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K and early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Looking for a Moose”, stuffed moose, written out clues, “moose mix”-trail mix, small paper cups or baggies for trail mix Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book, take the children on a moose hunt. Using pre-made clues, use the first clue to take you to where the 2nd clue is hidden, and so on. Use as many clues as you want eventually leading you to the stuffed moose, who is ready to share “moose mix” with the children for a job well done.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Leanna Heth – Ottawa Library Book Title – Little Pea Author – Amy Krouse Rosenthal Publisher, Year – Chronicle Books, 2005 Book Description: The story of Little Pea who hates to eat what he is forced to eat for dinner—CANDY. In a reverse story of getting a child to eat something healthy, Little Pea has to eat 5 pieces of candy in order to get spinach dessert. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Peas on the Move Audience (for kids include age group) – 3 and older Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Little Pea”, a parachute, green ball (to represent Little Pea), circles of green construction paper, crayons, CD of music and CD player Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Talk with them about how Little Pea’s life is like theirs, and how it is different. Discuss how physically active Little Pea is. Ask if they would want to eat candy every night. Get out the parachute, play music, and have the children try to keep “Little Peas” (green ball) on the parachute while they move the parachute up and down and rotate it. After the activity, let the children make their own “Little Pea” doing a physical activity like swinging, bouncing, rolling, hopping, etc. Give each child a green construction paper circle and crayons to draw their Little Pea being physically active.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Amelia Daniels – Columbus Public Library Book Title – Wild Boars Cook Author – Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall Publisher, Year – Henry Holt and Company, 2008 Book Description: Wild boars are very hungry and plan on making the most delicious pudding in the world. After they make the pudding, they find they are all still hungry. Now what? Can they continue to work together and make something else? Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – How to Show Manners and Work Together Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Wild Boars Cook”, pretend ingredients/foods Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the children pretend to make something like the wild boars did, with the play ingredients/foods. Talk about healthy snack choices they could eat, like mozzarella cheese sticks or fruits and veggies. Also have them show how they can have good manners while eating their pretend snack, since the boars did not.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Kathy Leon – Bucklin Public Library Book Title – Gracie and Grandma Author – Iben Sandemose Publisher, Year - MacKenzie Smiles LLC, 2007 Book Description: Grandma picks up Gracie from school to take her home, but Gracie decides there are a number of places she wants to visit along the way. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Following Gracie Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Gracie and Grandma”, space to move, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the kids. Explain that they are now going to act out the actions that Gracie does during her trip home from school. In addition, they will talk about MyPyramid and identify the food groups of the different foods in the book. Page 2: Identify the MyPyramid food groups on the table. Talk about healthy choices to eat. Page 3: Pretend you’re sliding like Gracie is on pillows. Page 4: Wash your hands. Page 5: Put on boots. Page 6: Spin around (sitting up). Page 7: Put on hat, mittens, snowsuit and boots. Page 8: Identify where muffins fit in the MyPyramid food groups. Are the muffins Gracie’s making, tasty? Page 9: Identify the food group for chicken wings. Page 10: Let’s count how many chicken bones they ate.




Page 11: Have the kids pretend they are flying up the stairs, dipping for each stair. Page 12: Identify where cheese fits in the food groups. Page 14: Pretend to wrap up in a big towel. Page 15: Wash dishes. Page 16: Identify the food groups for fish and carrots.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Amy Ramsey – Wichita Public Library Book Title – The Monster Who Ate My Peas Author – Danny Schnitzlein Publisher, Year – Peachtree Publishers, 2001 Book Description: A boy doesn’t like to eat his peas. He makes a deal with a monster that eats vegetables in exchange for something of his. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Flannel Board – Match the Colors Audience (for kids include age group) – 4-6 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Monster Who Ate My Peas”, flannel board, flannel pieces glued to backs of colored laminated pictures of fruits and vegetables Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Put several different colors of vegetables and fruits on the flannel board. Explain what each one is called and what color it is. For older children, also ask what letter it starts with. Ask the children which fruit or vegetable they really love to eat. Then hold up another fruit or vegetable and ask them to tell you which fruit or vegetable matches it in color. Go through all your examples until all are matched. Example: Hold up a red apple, match it with a red pepper. Put both away and move onto the next until all are off the flannel board.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Rachel Jones – Glen Elder Library Book Title – Elephant Soup Author – Ingrid and Dieter Schubert Publisher, Year - Lemniscaat Publishing House, 2010 Book Description: Mice try to cook an elephant. Turns out there are better things to do with an elephant. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Vegetable Soup Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool to early elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Elephant Soup”, large room with space to move, plastic vegetables, elephant stuffed animal, a pot, cut-up veggies (tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers) and low fat cheese for a snack, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Tell them they are going to make their own Elephant Soup. Have the children stand on one side of the room with a pile of plastic veggies before them. Give a group of 4 children a weighted pot. They must carry the pot together (teamwork) to a location on the other side of the room. Have the kids leave the pot and return to the rest of the children. Now have each child pick up a plastic vegetable and one by one, they will run over and place the veggie in the pot. Have the last child bring over the stuffed elephant to put in the pot. Oh no! Too big! Have the children bring back the pot and work together to “clean up”. Serve your “little mice” a healthy snack of veggies and cheese with praise for working together!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mary Jane Biltz – Haven Public Library Book Title – If You Hopped Like a Frog Author – David M. Schwartz Publisher, Year – Scholastic Inc., 1999 Book Description: The book shows what you could do if you had the abilities of some special animals. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Animal Actions Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “If You Hopped Like a Frog” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book about all the different animals. Talk about all the actions of each animal. Then reread the book with the children acting out the animal actions.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Cheryl Ptacek – Lang Memorial Library Book Title – The Tooth Book Author – by Dr. Seuss written as Theo. LeSieg Publisher, Year – Random House, 2003 Book Description: A board book about taking care of your teeth. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Promote Smiles Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Tooth Book”, felt board and pictures of foods from the book, tooth brushes for each child Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Hand out pictures of foods, including fruits and veggies and high refined sugar foods. Have the kids select the foods that help you have a nice smile (fruits, veggies, milk, etc.) and put on the felt board. Let the kids pick out the foods that create cavities (high refined sugar foods) and ruin smiles. Send kids home with tooth brushes to keep smiling!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Sharon DuBois – Jay Johnson Public Library-Quinter Book Title – Gregory, the Terrible Eater (Activity #1) Author – Mitchell Sharmat Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 1980; Scholastic, Inc., 2009 Book Description: Gregory is a goat who likes to eat fruits, veggies, meat, eggs and good food;, not cans, newspaper and other supposed “goat food”. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Terrible Eater Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Gregory, the Terrible Eater”, props- tin can, old newspaper, old clothes, food puppets/models, MyPyramid floor mat Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Roll play the story. Place an image or floor mat of MyPyramid on the floor. Show the different food groups and point out these are healthy foods to eat. Talk about cookies and chips and how those foods we should eat smaller amounts or less often. Gregory’s parents worry that he isn’t eating regular “goat food” like tin cans and newspaper. He wants fruits and vegetables! Placing the food puppets/models on the pyramid, talk about eating balanced, healthy foods.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Diedre Mapes – Dorothy Bramlage Library Book Title – Gregory, the Terrible Eater (Activity #2) Author – Mitchell Sharmat Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster Books, 1980 Book Description: The story is about Gregory, the goat who wants to eat healthy food. But his parents try to get him to eat junk until he gets sick. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Building Gregory’s Pyramid Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Gregory, the Terrible Eater”, flash cards of the food in the front and back of the book Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the kids take the flash cards from both healthy human food vs. goat food. Then have the kids build a pyramid on either the floor or flannel board of goat food vs. healthy human food. You could also have the kids match the goat food with the human food.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Ann Reeves – Great Bend Public Library Book Title – It Looked Like Spilt Milk Author – Charles G. Shaw Publisher, Year - Harper Collins, 1988 Book Description: Discover the shapes that are made from spilt milk. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Milk Discoveries Audience (for kids include age group) – 2-6 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “It Looked Like Spilt Milk”, low fat milk, milk flavorings like chocolate and strawberry, cups, spoon for stirring, Elmer’s white glue, construction paper, straws Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. As an activity, put a dollop of glue on each child’s construction paper and let the children blow through a straw to form shapes on their paper. After finishing their designs, let them sit to dry. Gather the children and let them sample plain milk, and milk with added flavorings. Have them vote which flavor they like best. Tell them that milk is a healthy snack and meal beverage because of the calcium in it which builds strong teeth and bones. Mention that they sampled “low fat” milk, which is a healthier choice than whole milk.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Leesa Shafer – Spearville Township Library Book Title – Big Pumpkin Author – Erica Silverman Publisher, Year - MacMillan Publishing Co., 1992 Book Description: A witch trying to pick a big pumpkin on Halloween discovers the value of cooperation when she gets help from a series of monsters. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Sorting Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Big Pumpkin”, plastic fruits and veggies or cards with colored pictures Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Then have them sort the vegetables and fruits by color, then by size, then by what are their “favorite” fruits and veggies. During this time talk to kids about ways to eat more fruits and veggies such as snacks, at meals-fresh, frozen or canned, etc.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Susan Huddleston – Wamego Public Library Book Title – Fall is for Friends Author – Suzy Spafford Publisher, Year – Scholastic Books, 2003 Book Description: Two friends love fall. They want to jump in a leaf pile, but the leaves aren’t falling. They try several things to make the leaves fall before it finally happens. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Apples and Fall Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Fall is for Friends”, scarves or pom poms, paper leaf cut-outs, masking tape, words to a fall song on a white board, apples (cut ahead of time), small plates or napkins for all the kids Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book once, act out what the friends in the story do to make the leaves fall. 1. Do a cheer. 2. Tape leaf on each child, dance like the wind is blowing. 3. Spin around and fall down. 4. Sing a fall song. 5. Pretend leaves are falling—wiggle fingers above head and down to the ground. 6. Enjoy a snack of apple slices, like the friends did.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Melissa Elgersma – Basehor Library Book Title – Pete’s a Pizza Author – William Stieg Publisher, Year – Harcourt, 1989 Book Description: Pete’s grouchy because it’s raining. His parents pretend to make Pete into a pizza. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Make a Pizza Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Pete’s a Pizza”, scarves-one per child Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book with the children, and then pantomime making a pizza using a scarf. Sing the following words as a song to the tune of “Here we go around the Mulberry Bush” and do the actions: This is the way we knead the dough… This is the way we toss the dough… This is the way we spread the sauce… This is the way we put on the cheese… This is the way we bake the pizza pie… Let the kids pretend to eat the pizza.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Julie Mosiman - Whitewater Memorial Library Book Title – Tops & Bottoms (Activity #1) Author – Janet Stevens Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace , Inc. 1995 Book Description: Hare and Bear plant a garden and share the produce – one gets the tops, one gets the bottoms, but things don’t work out for bear. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Gardening Fun Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Tops & Bottoms”, plastic gardening tools, if available Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – As the book is read, the kids are to do the activities, i.e. planting the seeds, watering, digging, pulling off tops or bottoms while one child plays the sleeping bear. After reading the story, discuss how some crops produce under the ground, others on top of the ground, and still others in the middle.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Linda Weeks – Eudora Public Library Book Title – Tops & Bottoms (Activity #2) Author – Janet Stevens Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace and Co., 1995 Book Description: Hare turns his bad luck around by striking a clever deal with the rich and lazy bear down the road. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Do we eat the “tops” or the “bottoms”? Audience (for kids include age group) – ages 3-5 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Tops and Bottoms”, pictures of vegetables Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Hold up a picture of a vegetable and let the children shout out which part we eat, the top or bottom. Continue. After finishing all the pictures, take some time to talk about healthy vegetables and “eating your colors”. Let the kids pretend they are preparing their own garden to grow veggies by shoveling, hoeing and raking.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Danielle Dougherty – Dodge City Public Library Book Title – Tops & Bottoms (Activity #3) Author – Janet Stevens Publisher, Year - Viking Press, 2006 Book Description: A clever rabbit family tricks a lazy bear out of his garden harvest. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - The Way We Move in the Garden Audience (for kids include age group) – 4-5 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Tops and Bottoms”, dress up clothes for gardening, workers or stickers with job icons if no dress up clothes available, drawing paper and crayons, knife, apples for a snack, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Have the children talk about working in the garden. What types of movement would you do? Movement: Have the children mimic planting, watering, and harvesting. (An alternate would be to act out the movements of the sun, rain, and plant growing). Use music as the child is “growing”. Social Studies: Extend the activity by asking what other ways do people move in their work? (firefighters fight fires with heavy hoses, policemen chase bad guys, etc.—have dress up clothes for these workers) Language: Talk about whether we eat the tops or bottoms of different veggies. Have the kids draw pictures of both top and bottom veggies. Science: Plant veggies or beans, take home and watch them grow. Math: Cut apples in pieces and talk about the apple as a whole, ½, ¼, etc. Let the kids have apple slices as a snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Colleen Sippel – J.H. Robbins Memorial Library Book Title – Tops & Bottoms (Activity # 4) Author – Janet Stevens Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace and Co., 1995 Book Description: Bear has lots of money but is lazy. Hare has nothing but a hungry family. Hare cleverly tricks bear and gets food for his family and teaches bear it’s a good idea to work. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Do you know where the veggie grows? Audience (for kids include age group) – 2-4 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Tops & Bottoms”, pictures of veggies, a basket, a garden poster showing above ground and below ground veggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Have a poster showing a garden above ground and below ground. Each child gets to pick a veggie picture from the basket. They are to tell everyone what the veggie is, and then place it on the poster above the ground or below, wherever they think it grows. Take time to talk about how healthy veggies are for the children. Ask them their favorite veggies. Ask them if they like them raw or cooked.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Judy Kisby – Belleville Public Library Book Title – Tops & Bottoms (Activity #5) Author – Janet Stevens Publisher, Year – Harcourt Brace, 1995 Book Description: A lazy bear has a neighbor, hare, who plants a garden. The hare does the work and gets the “tops” or “bottoms” of the crop. The hare always tricks the bear out of the best part. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Act it Out Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool through 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Tops & Bottoms”, room to move Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and have the kids act it out. Pick one child to be the lazy bear and the rest of the children are the rabbits. Everyone but the bear will get lots of activity as they plant, water, and weed each crop. The rabbits will hop home at the end and bear will “work” his field. Finally, the rabbits get to rest. This leads well into the book, “Up, Down, and Around”. Talk about the healthy vegetables in the garden and how we eat both the tops and bottoms of them.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Ruby Martin – Lane County Library Book Title – The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) Author – Retold by Philemon Sturgess Publisher, Year - Scholastic, 1999 Book Description: Little Red Hen has run out of bread and decides to make a pizza. Without the help of the duck, dog, and cat; she makes a pizza. They each agree to help eat the pizza and also help do the dishes. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - English Muffin Pizza Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza)”, English muffin halves, cut up veggies, pizza sauce, low fat mozzarella cheese, paper plates, spoons and forks Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children. Set out the ingredients to make their “pizza”. First have children apply the pizza sauce with a spoon to an English muffin half. Offer an assortment of different veggies they can add to their pizza. Take time to tell them adding veggies to a pizza is a good way to eat more veggies in the day. Ask them what other veggies (besides the ones offered as toppings) could be added to a pizza? Top with cheese and heat in the microwave. Serve as a snack. Additional Activity: The children could act out the story where the animals are jumping rope, swimming and playing ball.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Pixie Knepper – Clay Center Carnegie Library Book Title – The Trouble with Cauliflower Author – Jane Sutton Publisher, Year – Dial Books, 2006 Book Description: Mortimer the little koala, thinks when he eats cauliflower he has bad luck so he avoids it. But when Sadie surprises him with a casserole that includes cauliflower and he eats it and has good luck; he realizes that cauliflower had nothing to do with it! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Staying Strong with Cauliflower Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Trouble with Cauliflower”, space to move, cooked and raw cauliflower for tasting Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have children act out the story. Encourage healthy eating habits in order to keep our bodies strong. Healthy eating helps us bounce back from those things that happen to us such as a stubbed toe, a fall or scrape. Serve cauliflower cooked and raw to promote trying new foods at the conclusion.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Jeanne Dunbar – Bonner Springs Library Book Title – What Will Fat Cat Sit On! Author – Jan Thomas Publisher, Year – Harcourt, Inc. 2007 Book Description: Fat Cat is deciding what to sit on—mouse is worried, so is cow, pig, duck, and dog. He sits on a chair. Now what will Fat Cat eat for lunch? Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Chair Game Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “What Will Fat Cat Sit On!”, chairs for kids to sit in, flannel board with a Fat Cat puppet, healthy snacks like fruits and veggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story. Play the Chair Game. Instruct the kids that you will read the book again and whenever you say “cat” the kids will stand up and then sit down in their chairs. Use a Fat Cat puppet or flannel board with animal characters. Say the rhyme…I have a cat. My cat is fat. He wears a hat. On a chair he sat. Now what do you think of that? Have kids purr and meow. Serve healthy snacks of fruit and veggies. Optional: You could read the book and prepare a mouse shaped sandwich (like a Mickey Mouse head) or crackers with cheese and veggies. You could make a placemat with healthy food and snack choices.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Jacqueline Murphy – Glasco Public Library Book Title – Pumpkin Pumpkin (CKLS book) Author – Jeanne Titherington Publisher, Year - Greenwillow Books, 1990 Book Description: A story of a boy planting one pumpkin seed and watching and nurturing as it grows. In addition he saves the seeds for the following year. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Pumpkin Face Creations Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Pumpkin Pumpkin”, black markers, pumpkin pictures to draw, crayons, a small pumpkin for each child provided by parents Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Talk about fruits and vegetables in the fall. What is a pumpkin? Fruit or vegetable? How do you eat a pumpkin? (Answers: seeds, pumpkin soup, bread, muffins, pie) Have the children color their pumpkin pictures with crayons. After they have created their pumpkin face in crayon on paper, let them use a black marker to make a face on their real pumpkin. The children will take their pumpkin home and encourage them to scoop out the seeds later and sow them in the spring to grow.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Cheryl Sylvester– Atchison Public Library Book Title – The Gigantic Turnip Author – Aleksey Tolstoy and Niamh Sharkey Publisher, Year – Barefoot Books, 1999 Book Description: Russian folktale of a turnip that grows and grows. Repetitions and problem solving how to get the turnip pulled. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Grow Turnips, Grow Muscle! Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Gigantic Turnip”, a rope, tempura paint for stamping, raw turnips, paper, turnips prepared for tasting-raw, cooked, baked, etc., paper plates and plastic spoons Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and have the kids play tug of war with a rope to simulate the pulling of the turnip. Let the kids stamp with the turnips: cut designs and use different colors to stamp on their papers. Ask kids how many ways turnips can be prepared? Get the answers, then let kids sample the different ways to eat turnips.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Mary Lou Thomas – Glen Elder Library Book Title – Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Author – Judith Viorst Publisher, Year – Atheneum Books, 1972 Book Description: From the moment Alexander wakes up, disappointments and bad things seem to happen to him. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Alexander’s Day Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool - adults Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”, fruit and veggie toys/plastic items, cut-up veggies and fruits for a snack, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Show the toy fruit and veggies and read the first part of the story to the children. Ask if Alexander had eaten one fruit or veggie, if his day would have been such a “horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day”. Read more of the book and ask the same question. Read more and ask the same question, getting the children to say “the horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day” after each part of reading the book. Provide cut-up fruits and veggies as a snack to help the children prevent a “horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day”!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Shannon Leonard – Ottawa Library Book Title – The Enormous Carrot Author – Vladimir Vagin Publisher, Year – Scholastic, 1998 Book Description: Rabbits, Daisy and Floyd, plant seeds and a giant carrot grows! It takes all of their neighbors and friends to help pull the carrot out of the ground. Then they have a gathering to eat the carrot. Illustrations show all the uses for carrots. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - The Carrot Pull with Snacks Audience (for kids include age group) – ages 3 and older Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Enormous Carrot”, orange yarn or string, carrots for snacks-raw, cooked, carrot juice, breads, cake, etc., paper plates or cups Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Have the children stand up and play “tug of war” with the yarn on carpeted floor. Ask children to pretend the yarn is their enormous carrot and they are trying to pull the carrot out of the hands of a partner (child or parent). Have fun with the activity then let children try the carrot snacks offered. Send home carrot recipe ideas!



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Linda Huffer– Glasco Public Library Book Title – Apples, Apples, Apples (CKLS book) Author – Nancy Elizabeth Wallace Publisher, Year - Winslow Press, 2000 Book Description: Members of the rabbit family visit an apple orchard, where they have fun discovering the many uses of apples. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Fun with Apples Audience (for kids include age group) – lower to middle elementary Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Apples, Apples, Apples”, apples and a knife Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. There are several activities included in the book. Making applesauce: Wash the apples and peel. Slice the apples and put in a pot with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and ¼ cup apple cider. Bring to a boil, shake in some cinnamon, and simmer until soft. Fix ahead and let the children taste test. Talk about apples being a healthy snack to eat. Apple Prints: You’ll need a knife and an apple-directions in the back of the book. There is also a song and apple sayings included.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Tracey DeShazo – Silver Lake Library Book Title – The Bear Came Over to My House Author – Rick Walton Publisher, Year – G.P. Putnam and Sons, 2001 Book Description: Bear wakes up and goes to visit a girl. Many funny and cute things happen during his visit. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Bear’s Adventures Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool (2-4 years) Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Bear Came over to My House”, berries and water to drink, paper cups, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book and ask questions of the children. Bear wakes in the morning and goes to see the girl. Do you think bear had a good breakfast before he went to the girl’s house? What would a good breakfast be for a bear? What do you think a good breakfast would be for you? Discuss healthy options. What do you think bear saw on his walk? (put hands above eyes and look around) What do you think bear did? (make a shrug of your shoulders) Shout out “he flew”! ( have kids get on tip toes with arms up high). He also finds a creek to bathe (everyone acts like they are scrubbing bear’s back). He sees a snake! (have the kids jump up and out of the way). What do you think bear heard? (put hands to ears) What do you think bear ate? (ask children for ideas and let the kids pretend they are eating). Have the kids stretch and yawn and lay down for their bear nap. Provide the children berries and water to drink for their snack. Mention that berries are bear’s favorite snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Lori Swieransky – Hillcrest Library Book Title – Over in the Garden Author – Jennifer Ward Publisher, Year - Rising Moon, 2002 Book Description: Over in the garden, mother insects and their children enjoy activities from morning sun to evening moon. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Explore the Garden of Movement Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool and kindergarten through 3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Over in the Garden”- CKLS book Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Before reading the book, explain to the children what will be done with each number up to 10. They will do the action right after the number is read and the word is said. One-pounce (jump forward) Two-crawl Three-zip (say zip and move in a circle) Four-slither (lay on the floor and slither like a snake) Five-buzz (move around making buzzing sounds) Six-jump (in place) Seven-nibble (place hands up to mouth and pretend to nibble) Eight-roll (lay on the floor and roll) Nine-march (march in place) Ten-glow (raise hands above head and spread fingers)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Kate Haynie – Seneca Free Library Book Title – Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash Author – Sarah Weeks Publisher, Year – Harper Collins, 1998 Book Description: Mrs. McNosh does her laundry the old fashioned way-with a washtub and a clothesline. Along with the dresses and shirts, she will hang up some everyday items that will make kids giggle. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Hanging up the Wash Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book. Have the children stand up. They will wash and hang clothes along with Mrs. McNosh in the story. Mrs. McNosh washes clothes: Children will bend at the waist and pretend to wash. Mrs. McNosh hangs up the dresses: Children bend over and pick up the dress then stretch up high to hang it on the line. Continue in the story having children bend over and pick up the item, then stretch to hang it on the clothesline. Finally, Mrs. McNosh finishes. She will take off her apron, shake out her hair, and hang herself up! The children will shake out their hair and stretch one last time to hang themselves on the clothesline.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Alice Jones – Herington Public Library Book Title – Good Bread Author – Brigitte Weninger and Anne Moller Publisher, Year – North-South Books, 2003 Book Description: A young boy bakes bread with his mother. First he talks about how the wheat grows. Then he and his mother grind the grain and bake it. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – This is the Way We Bake our Bread Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Good Bread”, wheat kernels and a wheat grinder if possible, bake or purchase whole grain bread so kids can taste, napkins, plastic baggies Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Act out how the grain is planted through to the baking of the bread. Sing to the tune, “This is the way we wash our clothes.” This is the way we sow our grain… (use hoeing, sowing motions) This is the way we grow our shoots…(crouch down and pop up) This is the way we cut our grain…(use swathing, slicing motions) This is the way we grind our grain…(use grinding, circular motions) This is the way we knead our dough…(use kneading motions) This is the way we shape our dough…(use patting motions) This is the way we eat our bread…(rub tummies) Have wheat grain to mill and let kids grind the grain and take some with them in a baggie. Have whole grain bread for a snack.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Connie Weber – Richmond Public Library Book Title – Here comes the Crocodile Author – Kathryn White Publisher, Year – Little Tiger Press, 2004 Book Description: A crocodile is hungry and looking for food. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Move Like a Crocodile Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Here comes the Crocodile”, banana halves and water for snack, paper plates and cups Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and let the kids act it out the second time reading. Have the kids jump and act like a crocodile grabbing a monkey’s tail. Have the kids snap their hands and arms like jaws trying to catch a flamingo, or elephant. Have the kids slither like a snack would. Have the kids crawl on the floor stalking a zebra. End the activity with a snack of water and banana halves.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Judy Kleinsorge – Pioneer Memorial Library - Colby Book Title – The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog Author – Mo Willems Publisher, Year – Hyperion Books for Children, 2004 Book Description: Pigeon has a hot dog and does not want to share with duckling. But duckling wears him down. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – The Librarian Finds a ? Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool, grade school Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog”, 1,2,3, or 4 food taste samples for the group and a “large” example if able (like a whole pineapple with pineapple bits for tasting), MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children very dramatically. Tell the children that they are ducklings (could even let them “quack” and waddle around) and they are part of a new story. (Mention to the children that ducks will usually try anything to eat.) The new story begins…”The Librarian finds a ------------------“(pineapple). The librarian plays the role of the pigeon and eventually “shares” and passes out the pineapple. Repeat 2, 3 or 4 times depending on ages and interest. Could also enrich by asking where on the MyPyramid the food would go, which food group?




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Ann Pearce – North Central Kansas Libraries System Book Title – Bear Wants More (Activity #1) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2003 Book Description: Bear wakes up hungry from his winter nap. He eats and eats until he is so big he can’t fit in the doorway of his home. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Waking Up Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bear Wants More”, cups of fruit and cereal for each child, cut out of the sun Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Read the book. 2. Children are to sit in a circle pretending to be asleep. 3. A child with the sun cut-out goes into the middle of the circle and walks around to wake up the others. 4. Children wake themselves up slowly. 5. Have children make growling noises like a bear because they are hungry. 6. Ask, what did bear need? A big breakfast! 7. Hand out cups of fruit and cereal to eat. 8. Let kids get up from their “breakfast” and move around like a bear for activity.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Delora Kaufman – Hillsboro Public Library Book Title – Bear Wants More (Activity #2) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2003 Book Description: A Bear comes out of hibernation and always wants to eat more! He eats greens (clover and grass), fruit (strawberries) and when his friends make honey cakes, he eats so many he gets stuck in the door to his den. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Stuck in the Den Audience (for kids include age group) – Preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bear Wants More”, food cards of healthy foods and those not on MyPyramid (high fat and sugar foods like chips and cookies), MyPyramid Chart, balloon, brown box to represent the den Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Children pick up a card and place it either on the food pyramid chart or in the “den”. Whenever the food goes into the den (high fat/sugar food), the leader blows one breath into the balloon. This continues until every child gets a turn. The bear is supposedly so round he can’t get out of his den. The only way he can get out is to let the balloon go! This shows how sweets/high fat snacks make you get bigger, but food from MyPyramid keeps you healthy.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Melinda Hall – Eureka Public Library Book Title – Bear Wants More (Activity #3) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster – McElderry Books, 2003 Book Description: Bear wakes up hungry and goes with friends to find different foods to eat. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Hungry Bear Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool through 2nd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bear Wants More”, For each group of kids: Food Picture Cards (purchased or drawn), Action Picture Cards (illustrating verbs from the story), large MyPyramid (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – For Small Groups: 1. Read the book to the children and discuss the action words and foods. 2. Put the food cards and MyPyramid poster at the other end of the room. Spread the food cards around on the floor. Kids will take turns being the bear and bear will draw an action card from the pile. 3. Bear performs the action while going to the other side of the room to get a food card. 4. Bear tells the name of the food and decides what food group it belongs on the MyPyramid poster. 5. Bear comes back to the group performing the same action he did going. In Large Groups or Restricted Areas: Bear will draw an action card and the whole group does the movement. The leader holds up the food card and as a group, they decide the name and what food group it belongs on the MyPyramid poster.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Carla Feigal – Jewell Public Library Book Title – Bear Wants More (Activity #4) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year - Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2003 Book Description: Bear wakes up from a winter nap hungry. He goes with his friends to help him find food. He then goes home and can’t fit in. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Bear Pantomime Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre-K Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Bear Wants More”, have props of different foods, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Have the kids act out the animal actions as the story is told. Bear wakes up, stretches and rubs his tummy. Mouse scampers up and leads bear to the strawberry patch. Hare hops up and leads bear to the clover. Raccoon comes by with a pole to go fishing. Across the way gopher, mole, raven and wren are cooking over a fire. All the animals come together and eat and bear sleeps. Hold up the MyPyramid poster and explain the food groups. Ask the kids to tell you which food group each of the food props fit.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Mandy Cook – Marysville Public Library Book Title – The Cow Loves Cookies (Activity #1) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2010 Book Description: While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their regular food the cow chooses to eat the one thing she loves best. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Healthy Snacks Audience (for kids include age group) – Kids 3-6 years Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Cow Loves Cookies” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – After reading the book, also explain and show MyPyramid. Ask kids what their favorite snack is and have them find it in the food pyramid. If a snack is not in the pyramid (cake, cookies, etc.) help the kids understand how the farmer made his snack healthier by adding milk. How could they make their snack healthier? (drink with milk, dip in yogurt, top tortilla chips with cheese, etc.) Read the book again, and let the kids pretend they are the animals in the book eating. Challenge them to do it without sound (charades).



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Janice Lyhane – Marysville Public Library Book Title – The Cow Loves Cookies (Activity #2) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Simon and Schuster, 2010 Book Description: While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their regular foods. The cow enjoys her favorite--cookies. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – We Love Milk and Cookies Too! Audience (for kids include age group) – 2-4 year olds Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Cow Loves Cookies” Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Sing the song, “Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?” and do different actions every time they say the word “cookie”. Also, talk about cookies and/or favorite snacks and how you can make them healthier.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Christine D. Sander – Stockton Public Library Book Title – The Cow Loves Cookies (CKLS resource) (Activity #3) Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year - Simon and Schuster, 2010 Book Description: The animals on the farm eat their regular food, but the cow eats cookies! Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Trying Different Foods on the Farm Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Cow Loves Cookies”, pictures of farm animals, mini wheat cereal, mini cookies, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, popcorn, pudding or Jell-O, “Scooby snacks”, crackers Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story to the children and let them do the animal actions. Show the animal pictures and have the children name those animals and what they eat. Let the children know that they will get to eat “animal food” and may get to try some new things to eat! Display the different “animal foods” and serve the children a sample if they would like to try it. Horse-Hay (mini wheat cereal) Cow-Cookies (mini cookies) Chickens-Chicken Feed (sunflower and pumpkin seeds) Geese-Cracked Corn (popcorn) Pigs-Slop (low fat pudding or Jell-O) Dog-Doggie Treats (Scooby snacks) Duck-Quackers (crackers)



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Rita Higley – Horton Public Library Book Title – How to Bake an American Pie Author – Karma Wilson Publisher, Year – Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007 Book Description: A 4th of July book that describes the ideals of being an American by walking through the steps of baking a pie. Great illustrations. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Let Freedom Ring and Your Tummies Sing Audience (for kids include age group) – Pre K-3rd grade Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “How to Bake an American Pie”, MyPyramid poster (www.mypyramid.gov/ ), paper plates, pictures of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and meat and beans that can be colored in, glue sticks, crayons, cut-up fruits and veggies for snacks, napkins Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the story and talk to the kids about the importance of everything in the book in making an American. Correlate this with MyPyramid and how their tummies will be most happy if they also have a variety of healthy foods. Have kids color the different food pictures and paste on their paper plate to create a healthy pie of their own. If you can, find a song about fruits and veggies or healthy foods in general. Serve nutritious snacks, like cut up fruits and veggies.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: Peggy Wildman – Overbrook Public Library Book Title – The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear Author – Don and Audrey Wood Publisher, Year – Child’s Play, 1994 Book Description: Little mouse picks a very ripe strawberry and is afraid the big, hungry bear is going to come and take it away. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - A Very Ripe Strawberry Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear”, a picture of a strawberry-one per child Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – 1. Pass out the strawberry pictures to each child. 2. As you read the book, have the children do the action that goes along with the story. 3. Pretend to pick the strawberry. 4. Hide the strawberry-cover it with your hand. 5. Guard the strawberry by holding it close to you. Could also march around like a guard would do. 6. Have the children share their strawberries with each other. 7. Pretend to eat the strawberries.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Ellen Selzer - Coldwater Library Book Title – We had a Picnic this Sunday Past Author – Jacqueline Woodson Publisher, Year - Hyperion Books, 1997 Book Description: A child’s description of the foods brought to a picnic. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Planning a Picnic Audience (for kids include age group) – ages 6-10 Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “We had a Picnic the Sunday Past”, poster board, construction paper, old magazines, markers, crayons, glue sticks, MyPyramid poster www.mypyramid.gov/ ) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read or tell the story. Discuss the foods that are brought to the picnic. Show the MyPyramid poster and explain the different food groups and colors. Have the children find what food group color each of the foods in the story belongs. Have the kids plan a picnic. Provide a piece of construction paper, and they can draw or cut out pictures of food from the magazines to paste on their paper for their picnic.




Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Mandy Dunn - Rolla Library Book Title – The Lima Bean Monster Author – Dan Yaccarino Publisher, Year - Walker and Co., 2001 Book Description: A child hates lima beans until he has a dream of the Lima Bean Monster attacking the town. The kids come to the rescue, eat their veggies and eat the Lima Bean Monster. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Lima Bean Monster Audience (for kids include age group) – 3-5 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “The Lima Bean Monster”, a green lima bean (bean bag) Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read or tell the story. Then, play a game. Play spooky music and have the children stand or sit in a circle. Pass the bean bag (lima bean) from child to child until the music stops. The child or “Lima Bean Monster” with the bean bag is out. Continue the game until only one person left.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: – Sherry Knouf – Downs Carnegie Library Book Title – How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? Author – Jane Yolen and Mark Teague Publisher, Year - The Blue Sky Press, 2005 Book Description: The book is about bad and good table manners. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title - Good and Bad Manners Skit Audience (for kids include age group) – preschool to 7 years old Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food”, space to move, a table with chairs around it-enough chairs for all the children if possible Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Prior to reading the book, let the children burn off some energy by pretending to be big dinosaurs moving around the room. Gather the children and read the story. While the book is being read, let the kids act out what the dinosaurs are doing in the book. Have the children sit around the table and act out the bad manners first, then the good manners.



Reading, Healthy Eating, Active Play…Balance My Day BOOK ACTIVITIES Activity submitted by: DesiRae Churchwell – Jay Johnson Public Library-Quinter Book Title – Rabbit and Hare Divide an Apple Author – Harriet Ziefert Publisher, Year – Viking, 1998 Book Description: Rabbit and Hare find a mushroom and split it in half but not equally. They argue and Raccoon solves the issue by eating it all. They then find an apple, cut it, but not in half. They argue. Raccoon offers a solution but Rabbit and Hare resolve it themselves. Nutrition/Physical Activity Message (themes bolded below)




Drink Think Activity Title – Sharing Audience (for kids include age group) – K-2 Materials/Resources Needed - The book, “Rabbit and Hare Divide an Apple”, apples, oranges or whatever food you want to use that is easily divisible, a container that you can’t see through. Activity Directions (give detailed, step by step instructions) – Read the book to the children. Ahead of time cut fruit and veggies into pieces and place in the container. Ask children to choose a fruit/veggie piece out of the container. Talk about bigger and smaller pieces. Have them hold up a big piece and then a small piece. Pair children up and show them that if the pieces were cut in half and shared, they would still both get the same amount. Talk about portion sizes and sharing so that they won’t eat too much.


Preschool Library Activities

Education

Transcript of Preschool Library Activities