Nutrition Education for Preschoolers

For many preschool age children, obesity, anemia, dental caries, and growth retardation are nutritional concerns. These are issues that require direct intervention involving the parents or guardians, caregivers, and nutritional and/or health care professionals. One way to address these issues is through nutrition activities in the childcare setting. Nutrition education can help young children develop healthy eating habits that will carry into their adulthood. By leading children in a variety of simple and fun nutrition activities, caregivers can teach basic nutrition concepts. Caregivers are role models for healthy eating and facilitate healthy decision making by offering children nutritious choices for snacks or meals served in the childcare settings. The inclusion of health education activities revolving around nutrition topics reinforces this healthy learning. Learning About Nutrition Preschoolers are very curious and eager to learn about the foods they eat. Examples of appropriate nutrition fundamentals include the names and sources of different foods; the need to eat a variety of foods; the fact that some foods are healthier than others; and that foods have different textures, shapes, colors, smells and tastes. Most three-to-five-year-olds can learn to identify foods easily. Many four-and-five-year-olds can understand basic concepts about energy and that good foods help the body fight germs and keep the heart healthy. There are many different methods for teaching nutrition education concepts to preschoolers. The preschool-aged child learns by physical manipulation of the environment. Consider including activity-based teaching that encourages interaction with objects and includes age-appropriate activities offering children first-hand experiences and active participation. Activity-based learning might include art projects, songs, games, stories, field trips, role playing, pictures, food models, puzzles, and computer lessons. Food experiences are one of the best ways to teach children about food and nutrition. Meal and snack times provide important and effective opportunities for encouraging positive eating behavior. Children are more likely to choose specific foods if they are able to look at and taste them on a frequent and consistent basis. Food-based activities which have been successful in increasing children's food preferences include vegetable and fruit gardens, food preparation, tasting parties, engaging the five senses with food and eating healthy meals and snacks with peers and adults.