Healthy Foods

Start the lessons on Thanksgiving by teaching your child about healthy foods.  First, go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html to complete a personalized pyramid plan for your child.  This will give you a clear idea of how much food from the different groups your child needs each day. 

Use the visual of an 8-ounce measuring cup and a basket of assorted toy food to teach your child about healthy foods.  Let your child first pick out the grains, then the dairy, fruits, veggies, meats, beans and finally the "sweet treats."  Place each group at a time into the measuring cup.  Fill the cup all the way to the top with the fruits, veggies and dairy foods (it is reccomended to include lowfat dairy products if your child is age 2 and above).  Then put in a couple of pieces of meats and beans.  Finally talk about how the sugary foods are only for "once-in-a-while" treats and place only one at a time into the measuring cup.  Hopefully this will show your child how she should eat on a daily basis, and you can go back to this activity while meal-planning and when your child turns a nose up at healthy foods.  Teach your preschooler what "healthy" means and how we should all eat healthy to keep from getting sick and to be able to grow stronger and smarter everyday!  Eating healthy and exercising helps us sleep better, feel better and behave better!  This is also a good way to teach your child the differences between the food groups.

Healthy Foods Placemat:
Start by creating a drawing of a triangle with five sections (unlike mine that only have four - we forgot the cereal/grains section but at least that's not the hard group to cover in Mae's diet).  Use clip-art of various foods from the different food groups to put the correct amount into the created food guide pyramid.  Let your child cut, color and paste the pictures onto the pyramid.  Cut out the food guide and paste onto a lage (12x18) sheet of construction paper.  Print the cornucopia coloring sheet and allow your child to color the fruits and veggies.  Discuss how God made the fruits and vegetables all different colors and shapes.  In each corner of the paper paste the "Harvest Time" song and the cornucopia (resources below).  Write your child's name on the placemat to give your child ownership of his or her individualized placemat and food guide pyramid.  Also include the following sentance on the placemat:  "Thank you, God, for giving us good foods to eat!"  Finally, laminate the placemat.  (You can have this done at a local print shop or library for a small fee, or use clear contact paper on both sides to laminate it yourself).  Now your child has a nutrition reminder and a reminder to be thankful for healthy foods, and you have beautiful autumn artwork to adorn your dining table!

Thanksgiving Foods:
Teach your preschooler a little about our American culture and about eating healthy by learning more about these traditional Thanksgiving foods.  Also, take this oppurtunity to talk with your child about family traditions that are special to you.

"Do the Mash"
To create a festive atmosphere for this print-making project, play a recording of the classic song "Monster Mash."  Then, while grooving to the music, press a patato masher into a shallow pan (or paper plate) or tempra paint and make a print on a sheet of paper.  Blot the masher on a paper towel.  Continue in the same way with different colors of paint until the desired effect is achieved.

"Mmmm...Pie!"
To make a pie slice that looks and smellsgood, paint a paper plate wedge orange and then sprinkle pumpkin pie spice over the paint.  When the paint is dry, brush glue over the outer edge of the slice.  Then, crumple squires of brown tissue (or construction) paper and press them in the glue to resemble pie crust.

Make a Thanksgiving Cookbook
Let your child color the cover for her cookbook while you ask her how to make a turkey, pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes.  Record her responses with a permant marker on three different colored construction paper cut in half.  Mount her colored cover onto one half of a piece of construction paper then put the cooking instructions togther under the cover to create a book.  Punch holes and string yarn to hold the book together.  Be sure to name and date the cookbook because you will want to remember and likely repeat this activity each Thanksgiving!  Welome any response your child gives and watch her little mind create a new reciepe.  For example, Mae demonstrated that we make mashed potatoes by stomping them under our feet and you better believe I wote that down in PERMANT marker!  It's a great bookmark for her age on her fourth Thanksgiving.
Thanks Cookbook

Thanksgiving Songs about foods:

"Let's all clap..."

(sung to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain...")

Let's all clap because we're thankful for our food.
Spoken: yum, yum.  Rub Stomach
Let's all clap because we're thankful for our food.
Let's all clap because we're thankful
Let's all clap because we're thankful
Let's all clap because we're thankful for our food.

vs. 2 Let's all clap because we're thankful for our beds...
Spoken:  ahhh. Pretend to be asleep

vs. 3 Let's all clap because we're thankful for our clothes...
Spoken:  zzzip.  Run thumb from waist to chin


"Oh, Jesus, thank You."
(Sung to the tune of Jesus Loves Me)

Thank You for the food I eat,
Make eating motions
And for all the friends I meet.
Wave to friends
Thank You for the clothes I wear,
Point to clothing
And for all your love and care.
Hug Self

Oh, Jesus, thank You.
Oh, Jesus, thank You.
Oh, Jesus, thank You.
Thank You for everything.

"Five Little Turkeys"
Five little turkeys by the barn door,
One waddled off, then there were four.
Four little turkeys out under the tree,
One waddled off, then there were three.
Three little turkeys with nothing to do.
One waddled off, then there were two.
Two little turkeys in the noonday sun,
One waddled off, then there was one.
One little turkey - better run away!

Soon will come Thanksgiving Day.


Resources:
Watch the videos of Boz's "Bananas, Bubbles and Busy Bodies" and "Madeline's Cooking School."
(I hardly ever recommend watching videos but these go along well with the lessons and will give you time to put the placemat and cookbook together, and clean up the paints!)


Harvest Time Song for Placemat:
Harvest Sc

Thanksgiving Cookbook Cover (2 per page)
Thanks Cookbook

Cornucopia color sheet http://www.abcteach.com/directory/fun_activities/coloring_pages/holidayseasonal/thanksgiving/#7509

Field Trip:
This Saturday, November 14th, is the last Saturday until May for the Athens Farmer's Market.  The Market opens at 8:00 and lasts until 12:00 at Bishop park.  It's a fun atmosphere and a great way to learn about healthy foods and thank the Farmer's in person!  There is also a farmer's market in Comer, GA but it's not as big or as festive.  But they still have lots of yummy foods and interesting crafts.  Maybe we'll see you there!  If you're not in the Athens area, there are Farmer's Markets everywhere and I encourage you to find one near you.