3 Major Developments of Children

1. Creativity:

   During the activity, children follow the instruction to imitate the shapes of various kinds of food with their bodies. Such gestural expressions enhance their creativity.

    

2. Arithmetic training:

   When throwing bean bags into plastic boxes with matching labels, children manage the concept of space and direction. Counting the number of bean bags trains their ability of matching and comparison.

    

3. Common sense:

   Children understand different kinds of food and identify the healthy ones.

    

   Photo caption : Guess what kind of vegetable the children were pretending?

Other ‘StartSmart’ Measures

1. Eat healthily:

   Throughout activities like ‘making healthy snacks’, ‘healthy birthday party’ and ‘refreshments for whole-day classes’, children are able to try food of various categories and tastes. It is hoped that they will develop a healthy dietary habit and stay away from fussy eating. As the school uses electrical cooking, our food is mostly cooking with steaming, stewing, poaching and braising. Pupils’ diet also follows the Healthy Lunch 321 principle so that the ratio among grains/cereals, vegetables and meat is 3:2:1.

    

2. Parent-child interaction:

   In ‘Be a Smart & Healthy Chef - Healthy Recipes Design Competition’, children and their parents cook healthy dishes together. It is an interactive occasion which could instil messages, such as the Food Pyramid and the proper portion of each meal.

    

3. Physical activity:

   Begin a school day with gymnastics. Let children read aloud in Mandarin or English while doing gymnastics so that learning is incorporated in physical activity. Also, distribute the ‘My Physical Activity Diary’ from the Department of Health and encourage families to do daily exercise together.

Stage 3: Sharing Platform

Ms. Leung Yuk Yee , Headmistress

• With the resources provided by the Department of Health, our school organised several workshops and video screenings for parents. Apart from the daily 45 minutes of P.E. lesson at school, we encouraged parents to grab every minute they can to exercise with their children, for example, while engaging in a conversation. As a result, children found the determination to kick bad habits.
  
  
• The StartSmart@school.hk Pilot Project reminded us to make a concerted effort among all school staff to draft a blueprint of balanced diet and physical activity. We also need parents’ help in fostering a healthy lifestyle for children. I think the project was worth our participation.

Ms. Liu Yim , Teacher

• Nowadays most parents have to work and leave their children to grandparents or domestic helpers. Sometimes when kids fall into a foul temper, their caregivers will appease them with fast food. By giving them an unhealthy diet, the caregivers give them an unhealthy lifestyle as well without being noticed. Therefore, we hope to broaden the children’s knowledge of healthy eating through a variety of education programmes.
  
  
• Children now discuss what they should eat more and what food is bad for their health. When some kids say soft drinks should be avoided, some others agree and explain that soft drinks are sweetened and that we should not drink too much of it. This kind of interaction delights me most.

Ms. Tam Mei Chun , Cook

• After receiving the training offered by the Department of Health, I am more aware of the nutritional values of food. I used to give children chicken wings in Swiss sauce for as they liked it very much; I don’t do this any more because I know the marinade and chicken wings are both unhealthy.

Conclusion

During the project period, the school revised the menus and successfully put the concepts of a balanced diet into teaching activities. A variety of activities were launched to help children develop healthy eating habits. As good eating habits should always be complemented by regular exercise, the school also designed some activities for major muscles of children. Engaging children in regular exercise required the cooperation of parents, hence the school stepped up communication with parents. Parents should also set good examples for their children in order to make the positive effects of the Project sustainable.