HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS FOR KIDS

Introducing healthy eating habits to your kids is very important. Especially these days where take-out and drive throughs are very popular. Eating healthy foods and snacks is a very important factor in all children's physical and mental development. Here are some ideas for fresh, tasty, healthy snacks in mid-afternoon and other times of the day. Things you will need:

knife napkins celery cream cheese or peanut butter (or both) crackers olive slices raisins

Have chopped celery sticks on the table. Ask the children if they would like their celery filled with either cream cheese or peanut butter. If they don't want any filling, don't force it. Ask if they would like to decorate their cream cheese with olive slices or peanut butter with raisins.

Do the same as above with crackers. Great choices for crackers are Ritz, Breton, and/or Graham Crackers. Makes a Great, Healthy and Fun Snack for kids.

**Have fresh juice, milk or water available to drink.

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Circle Idea For Kids Using Balloons

This Circle Idea should be implemented with children at least 3 years of age and up. Any children who are still in the stage of exploring sensory oraly need to be supervised with great caution. Balloons are serious choking hazards so please use caution when implementing the activities mentioned in this Circle Idea. It is a good idea to go over the safety issues with children so they understand the risks as well.

Opening Song: (sung to - Farmer in the Dell)

Hello to everyone, ( wave to children) and how are you today? We come to our circle time, to laugh and sing and play. And when you're up you're up, (hold hands in the air) and when your down your down, ( place hands on floor) and when your only half way up, (hold hands about chest level) your neither up nor down. (throw your hands up and down quickly with words) So roll your hands so slowly, (make fists with hands and roll about chest level like your punching a bag) and roll your hands so fast, ( same action as above except fast) give your hands a clap clap clap and fold them in your lap tap tap. (follow directions in this line) Talk to the children about balloons and balloon safety. Ask open ended questions such as "Where have you seen balloons before?" "What different shapes and colours of balloons can you remember?" "Why or where do we use balloons?"

Have a bag of different shaped balloons with you. Blow up a balloon and talk about the shape and color of it. Ask, "What do you think will happen if I let it go?" ( let balloon go).

Blow up a different balloon and talk about the shape and colour of it. Ask "What do you think will happen if I pull the bottom blow whole tight and slowly let the air out?" (Make high pitch noise with balloon).

Then blow up a third balloon and talk about the shape and colour. Ask, "What do you think will happen if I hold the balloon and let the air come out by itself without touching the blow whole?" (Let the air out so it makes a low airy sound).

Have children stand up and sing The Balloon Song: (tune- Here We Go 'Round The MulBerry Bush)

I'm a balloon can't you see, can't you see, can't you see, I'm a balloon can't you see so please do not pop me. (float/dance around like balloons) I can fly and dance around, dance around, dance around, I can fly and dance around (stop dancing and say) "OH NO! YOU POPPED ME!" Have the children pretend the air is going out of them and fly around like the balloons at circle time that lost their air. Now have all the children sit down in a circle again and hold hands.

Then sing the "End of CircleSong" (tune-Skip to my Lou)

Shake hands with friends 'cause it's time to go, Shake hands with friends 'cause it's time to go, Shake hands with friends 'cause it's time to go.....We'll see you again next time.