Spring Break Challenge!

The snow has melted and the sun is shining.  Finally, it's the time of year kids are waiting for!  Spring break is here!  Make your child's vacation fun and healthy with a Spring Break Challenge!  Do a fun nutrition and physical activity each day during spring break.  If your kids aren't on spring break this week, that's okay.  You can still try these activities before or after school this week.  Here are some ideas to help you out!

1. Monday
• Go to a new park and use the playground equipment to create an obstacle course.
• Visit the grocery store and pick out a new fruit to try that you have never tried before.
2. Tuesday
• Write down different physical activities on a piece of paper and place them in a hat  like toe touches, jumping jacks, hopping on one foot, and acting out a story.  Take turns picking an activity to do until all the activities have been used.
• Cook with kids!  Give the kids a couple of meal options to choose from and then let them help you create it in the kitchen.  Kids can help to stir, wash and cut fruits and veggies.
3. Wednesday
• Go for a long walk with the kids and look for signs of spring!  Try looking for blooming flowers, birds singing, people where lighter jackets, and the sun shining.
• Let your child choose the veggies for dinner.  Give your child two or three different veggies to choose from for dinner tonight.  Your child will love helping to prepare them too!
4. Thursday
• Have a bunny race!  Go outside or to a spacious room inside and have a bunny hopping race with the kids.
• Make a fruit and veggie collage.  The more kids learn about foods the more likely they are to eat them.  Gather a whole bunch of grocery store sales and let the kids make a fruit and veggie collage with their favorite foods.
5. Friday
• Have a veggie taste test!  Put together a tray of veggies or dishes with veggies and have your child taste and rate each one.  You can even let them write up a food review for practice.  Choose a healthier dip for your veggies like hummus or low-fat dip.
• Stretch together.  Let your child pretend they are a flower.  Have them start by curling up in a ball like a bud, and then stretch all the way to the sky like a flower, and do jumping jacks as they bloom!
6. Saturday
• We want to hear about your favorite nutrition and physical activity that you did this week!  Visit our Eat Smart, Be Fit Maryland Facebook page and post a picture in the comments section or send us a comment with a picture of your child doing these activities at eatsmartmd@umd.edu.  We want you to share how you had a healthy spring break!