Root for fruit
You’ll need
- Coloured pens or pencils
- Craft materials (for example, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, stickers)
- Big pieces of paper
- Scrap paper
- Pens or pencils
- Sticky tack
- Scissors
Before you begin
- Ask everyone to think about what they’ve learned about healthy eating.
- Set out all the materials to make a TV advert, a campfire song and a giant mural.
Run the activity
- Have everyone get into groups. Each group should choose whether they’d like to make a TV advert, a campfire song or a large mural (or banner). They should also choose a topic to address from the ‘Suggested topics’ below. Give everyone the chance to switch groups and do something different, if they wish.
- Groups creating a TV advert will need pens and paper. They should come up with characters and a story for the advert. They should figure out how they’ll perform the story for the rest of the group and then rehearse it.
- Groups creating songs will need pens and paper. They should come up with a popular campfire (or similar) song that they all know. Each person in the group should know the tune, lyrics or actions associated with the song, and it should be one that everyone enjoys. They should pick a healthy eating topic and rewrite the song with lyrics that address the topic. After practice, the group should perform their song to the group.
- Groups making murals will need A3 paper, craft materials and coloured pens or pencils. They should think about advertising banners or displays they’ve seen in museums or galleries. The group should pick a healthy eating topic to address on the mural.
- The person leading the activity should cut a length of wallpaper with scissors. The wallpaper sheet will need to be longer and wider than all the murals groups have made, when they’re laid out end-to-end. Use glue to stick each mural to the wallpaper canvas, and stick the mural to the wall with lots of sticky tack. Groups not making murals should use this time to add the finishing touches to their adverts or songs and to prepare to perform them.
- Have TV advert groups and campfire song groups perform their healthy eating showpieces.
You may find the right topic by asking everyone a few questions first. What activities did everyone enjoy when working towards their Health and Fitness Activity Badge? People might talk about foods they’ve eaten or games they’ve played. What new things did everyone find out about healthy eating?
The importance of daily exercise
- 60 minutes for children (5-18 years)
- 30 minutes for adults (19+)
Activities that families can do together to stay fit
- Obstacle courses
- Dodgeball
- Relay races
- Mini rounders
The importance of eating a balanced diet
This includes eating at least five fruit or vegetables daily, and a mix of different food groups:
- Fruits (such as apples, bananas and oranges)
- Vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and sweetcorn)
- Carbohydrates (such as rice, pasta and bread)
- Protein (such as chicken, lamb and lentils)
- Dairy (such as milk, butter and yoghurt)
- Fats (such as nuts, cheese and avocados)
Facts about fruits and vegetables
- Cucumbers and tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables.
- Broccoli contains more protein than steak.
- Vegetables can be grown in space.
- When grapes are dried they become raisins.
- The most nutritious part of fruit and vegetables is usually the skin.
Why eating fruit and vegetables is important
- Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that help to fight off disease and repair body tissues (such as vitamin C in oranges).
- All fruits and vegetables contain fibre, which aids digestion.
- Fruit and vegetables taste delicious and there’s so much variety to choose from.
Healthy snack recipes
- Trail mix shuffle
- Barbequed banana boats
- Rainbow fruit skewers
Reflection
This was a great opportunity to demonstrate what everyone has learned about healthy eating and to share it with others. It’s a great refresher for the group too! Why’s it so important to share healthy eating and lifestyle tips with as many people as you possibly can? What other ways are there to spread the healthy messages?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
Larger murals, longer songs and adverts addressing more than one topic will all be harder (and more time-consuming). Smaller posters, shorter poems and simple role-plays are easier to put together and should all be easily finished in one session.
Some people may not be comfortable performing in front of the group. Have these people perform a role they’re comfortable with, such as narrating.
Try to make sure that at least one group makes an advert, sings a song or draws a mural, so that people who want to do a specific project can simply join that group.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
If there’s a particular topic related to healthy eating that everyone in your group is interested in (eg how to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet), everyone could work together on a community impact project. For example, the project could share healthy eating and lifestyle advice with people in the local area and beyond.
Let everyone use their imaginations freely when coming up with ways to promote healthy eating.