Lessons in healthy eating habits for Pre primary

Games and activities are a great way to teach children about food and healthy eating while having fun at the same time. On the 18th September, 2023, at 10.30 am in the Foundation Hall, the Pre-primary children had a delightful learning experience with Ms Navreet Shergill, HoD English, who taught them about healthy and unhealthy eating habits and how these impacted the body. Listening and speaking skills were also sharpened as the children volunteered to interact.

The session started with a beautiful story, 'Cha Cha -The Fussy Eater,' a boy with unhealthy eating habits. The short film showed the children preparing for Fitness Day at their school. Cha Cha wanted to win the race, but he couldn't do so because of his unhealthy eating habits. His teacher, Dorothy, told him the importance of eating fruit and vegetables in order to be strong and fit. Cha Cha returned home and told his mother to feed him only fruit and vegetables. Consequently, on Fitness Day, Cha Cha won the trophy at school. There was spontaneous clapping from the rapt audience as they saw Cha Cha hold the winner's trophy aloft!

After the movie, the resource person was pleasantly surprised when the little ones responded confidently to her questions about their eating habits. They shared details of their breakfast with her. It was reassuring to hear that most of the children had either eaten an apple or a banana and even an egg and toast, with one child sharing that he had had a kiwi for breakfast. At the same time, another volunteered that she drank a glass of milk and ate a paratha before coming to school. This interaction aimed to allow the children to link the movie shown, with their eating habits. Simultaneously, the children practised their public speaking skills.

Next, Ms Shergill showed the children an apple, a banana, a carrot, a lemon and an orange. She shared the benefits of eating these fruits and vegetables. The children learned that carrots were good for their eyes, oranges made the body, skin and hair strong, bananas were good for mood and memory, lemons for digestion and apples kept the doctor away. She also drew their attention to nature through blades grass and a beautiful red rose sourced from the School garden. The children were asked to identify the colours of all the things shown. The lively audience chorussed red, yellow, orange, green and red in turn!

The enthusiasm was infectious as the children readied for the famous nursery rhyme, 'Ringa Ringa Roses'. The children formed big and small circles to sing along, learn and dance to the song. At the word 'down', they all fell to the floor in peals of laughter.

The session culminated with the resource person singing 'Oranges and Lemons' as the children made a long serpentine line to exit the auditorium. Two teachers held hands and formed an arch by raising their arms for the children to pass through. At the word 'fed', the two teachers would drop their arms to hold the child crossing the arch at precisely that moment and only release him/her when he/she answered their question: 'Which is your favourite fruit?'!

Thus, the edutainment session culminated on a happy and comprehensive note. It is hoped the young ones will imbibe the underlying message and practice healthy eating to become fitter versions of themselves.