From national to local levels, there are so many great nutrition education examples out there that it was actually very difficult for me to decide which one I wished to discuss for this week’s post. After searching around for a while, I finally chose to introduce you all to one coming out of the Oregon State University called Growing Healthy Kids. This activity-heavy program for seven- to eight-year-old children consists of hands-on learning in a garden setting. The curriculum is designed with three main purposes in mind for participating children: “increase their exposure to vegetables and fruits by tending a garden, increase their consumption of vegetables and fruits, and model healthy food and lifestyle choices.”
The curriculum consists of 12 lessons focused on different plant parts and garden components which are all used to demonstrate healthy behaviors for the children to follow. For example, one of the lessons is titled “Breakfast for Kids and Soils” and focuses on why everyone, especially children, should eat breakfast every day. This is my favorite lesson because I, personally, have had difficulties reminding myself to eat breakfast every day and I think that it is extremely necessary for children to learn the importance of breakfast as soon as possible. The program can also be extended to as many as 22 sessions through additional activities. Not only are the children learning about nutrition in a fun way, they are also learning where different vegetables and fruits come from and how they are grown by actively participating in the garden.
What about inner city schools, or some other location, where having a garden is not feasible? Although the curriculum would seem to be most beneficial if a school or community garden could be utilized, the creators of the program took garden accessibility into consideration. The lessons can be effectively used with either an outdoor, indoor, or even a mural garden. This barrier removal really made this education example stand out to me and it was actually surprising that a mural could be as effective as a real-life garden. It is still effective because the garden itself is only a tool to promote healthy eating and physical activity by the use of hands-on activities. Any activities that would be done in a real garden can be easily substituted if necessary.
As a nutrition educator, it would be extremely easy to incorporate Growing Healthy Kids into your practice. First of all every in-depth lesson plan is available online through the Oregon State University, which makes this curriculum extremely accessible. A course overview, twelve lesson plans, ten healthy snack recipes, and supplemental appendices are all available online. Currently, the coloring sheets, flashcards, and parent newsletters are under revision but those should be available soon. As I mentioned above, it is also extremely easy to substitute activities to tailor the program to each class. If necessary, the course overview also suggests that a Master Gardener could be brought in to help with the gardening aspect. Overall, garden-based nutrition approaches have continuously been seen to have a positive impact on the health of those who participate in them, and Growing Healthy Kids is no exception.
By: Rachel Moeser
All information (including the image) comes from the Oregon State University’s Extension website.