Activ-eat
Activ-eat is a volunteering scheme for Care Services employees. The program encourages children to lead healthier lifestyles in a fun and imaginative way and is designed to keep the children and volunteers interested and entertained whilst learning about healthy eating, keeping fit and making healthy lifestyle choices. The scheme is particularly well-received by schools as it links in perfectly with the government's 'Healthy Schools' initiative.
How does it work?
BUPA Activ-eat volunteers visit their local schools to teach the children about healthy eating, keeping fit and making healthy choices. This is done through various activities and games with the children, such as:
1) Run-a-round
Loosely based upon the kid's TV game show, the children are offered three food options (e.g. white bread, brown bread & wholemeal bread). The options are written on large cards, which are placed in different corners of the room. The children are asked a question such as, "Which of the following foods is most healthy?" The children then run over to their chosen option. The BUPA volunteer then calls out 'run-a-round' and the children can change their minds depending on what their view is. The correct answer is given and all the children standing on the correct answer stay in the game.
2) Five-a-day
Children are taught the importance of eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday through story telling. Volunteers use a large Velcro poster of a child and various food signs. Before the story begins, the food signs are handed out. Each time the child in the story eats some food the child with that food sign has to stand up and stick it on the poster under either one of the two headings of 'good' or 'bad', according to whether it can be counted as a portion of the child's five-a-day.
3) Top trumps
This is a simple game that teaches children that although some foods are cool they are not always good for them and that good foods aren't always expensive. The categories are 'price, good 4 u, yucky factor, five-a-day and cool rating.'
The game is as simple as it sounds... nutrition top trumps!
4) The fruit table
This activity involves a collection of different fruits from around the world. The children will get to discuss the fruit and taste them as is or as a smoothie. It's great fun and gives BUPA volunteers to chance to get their hands dirty making the tasty treats!
BUPA employees volunteer for the Activ-eat programme through Community Connections.
Activ-eat is a fantastic programme! You really feel you are making a difference, and it's great fun