Surfing the Net with kids
Teaching kids about nutrition happens around the dinner table, in the grocery store, at the fast food restaurant, in the classroom, and now on the Internet with this bunch of sites that make use of fun, online games, cartoon characters, and printable activity sheets to get the message across.
CDC: Fruits and Veggies Matter www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
Although not specifically for kids, this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site has interactive tools, tips, and information for all ages. How many fruits and veggies do you need each day? Enter your age, sex, and level of daily physical activity into the tool on the front page, and learn the benefits of adding more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Other reasons to visit include Fruit & Vegetable of the Month (pretty pictures to enjoy with your little ones) and Analyze My Plate (drag food items to your virtual plate to get a nutritional analysis of your choices).
Dole 5 a Day www.dole5aday.com
With games, cartoon characters, recipes, and advice on eating right and being fit, Dole has something for everyone. My favorite sections are the Nutrition Database (where I learned that apples are a member of the rose family!), the healthy recipes, and the games. The Superfoods Mighty Gobble & Chomp is a game in which eating fruits and vegetables increases your strength, and consuming candies, fries, and soda decreases it.
Food Champs www.foodchamps.org
With bright colors and cartoon mascots, Food Champs has fun and games for kids as young as 2. Choices include coloring pages, printable stickers, printable recipe cards, interactive games, printable activity sheets, and a gallery of artwork. Games are divided into two age groups: 2 to 5, and 6 to 8. They include Farm to Fork (learn how food gets from the field to your table), Fruit & Vegetable Math, and Fruit & Veggie Pyramid Game.
MyPyramid.gov: For Kids www.mypyramid.gov/kids
Although the kids home page at MyPyramid.gov lacks color and pizzazz, the site has great games and content. MyPyramid Blast Off Game is a flash game for students 6 to 11, “where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. Fuel tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid.’’ There are several variations of the healthy food pyramid to print and color. And there are printable lessons and activities for grades 1 through 6.
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