My Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating

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	Where To Start?
	What To Do?
	Who Can Help?
	When To Do It?
	How To Do It?
	How To Get The Word Out?
	How Did It Go?
	What To Use?
	Where To Go for More Help?
	What Is Your Story?

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Image of a girl exercise on her wheel chair

Photos of Carol M. from Des Moines, Iowa

Carol M.
Des Moines, Iowa

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What To Do? Building Block #2—Activity Ideas

Once you decide on your community and what its needs are, the second building block will help you choose an activity that promotes physical activity and/or healthy eating. Activities can be one-time events (for example, a community health fair), a series of events (for example, healthy cooking classes), or ongoing programs (for example, a weekly exercise group). To make a difference in your community, you could start out with one activity, and then build on it. For example, Mildred J. from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, started a walking group at her workplace. A group of employees walked together three times per week—then they started lunchtime sessions with invited speakers to learn more about healthy lifestyles.

Use the list of ideas below to choose and plan a fitness or healthy eating activity. In the blank rows, you can add your own ideas or those of other community members. (See the Community Activity Interest Form.)

Neighborhood Activities

Focus on Healthy Eating	Focus on Physical Activity
Start a garden to grow fruits and vegetables.	Start a walking, hiking, or stroller club.
Set up a farmers’ market or a stand to sell fresh fruits and vegetables.	Plan a walk or dance.
Plan a picnic or a block party with healthy foods from around the world.	Lead active games or sports during a neighborhood picnic or block party.
Ask restaurants to offer and point out healthy food choices on their menus.	Start a group to take part in classes at a gym or fitness center.
Ask grocery stores to give out information on healthy eating, cooking, and food safety and storage.	Start sports teams and competitions, including those for people with disabilities.
Hold a healthy recipe contest.	Start a group to take part in a walkathon.
Plan tours of grocery stores that focus on healthy eating.	Ask officials to build tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, soccer fields, and swimming pools.
Work with dietitians from the local health center, clinic, or hospital to start classes on healthy eating and cooking.	Ask officials to build well-lit, safe trails and activity stations in parks.

School Activities

Focus on Healthy Eating	Focus on Physical Activity
Start a school garden project for growing fruits and vegetables.	Start a Walk-to-School Day.
Ask the school principal about serving more fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria.	Ask the school principal about keeping the gym open during nonschool hours.
Check to see if the school vending machines can offer bottled water, 100% fruit juices, fat-free or low-fat milk, pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits.	Ask the school to set up active field trips, such as nature hikes.
Ask the school to post information on healthy eating in cafeterias.	Encourage the school to offer regular PE classes.
Ask if you can teach kids about fruit and vegetables through games or “edible art.”	Start dances at a local high school.
Hold a contest for kids to make cafeteria table tents or tray liners that explain about fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods.	Hold a contest for kids to make cafeteria table tents or tray liners that promote physical activities that are fun.
Ask the school principal if you can plan a “Taste of the World.” Give out samples of healthy foods from around the world.	Check to see if the school can get a physical fitness expert to lead active games during recess.
See if kids can prepare and taste healthy snacks during school hours.	Encourage the school to start activity programs for children with disabilities.

Seasonal Activities

Focus on Healthy Eating	Focus on Physical Activity
Plan a summer picnic with healthy foods.	Start a group to rake leaves.
Pick apples or berries, and then prepare a healthy dessert.	Lead a group to shovel snow.
Hold a healthy holiday recipe contest.	Start a group to wash cars.
Plan holiday potluck dinners with healthy foods.	Lead beach sports, such as volleyball or Frisbee.

Faith-Based or Community Center/Club Activities

Focus on Healthy Eating	Focus on Physical Activity
Place articles, tips, and recipes about healthy eating on bulletin boards and in newsletters.	Place articles and tips about physical activity on bulletin boards and in newsletters.
Plan a health fair—give out information on healthy eating, recipes, and food samples.	Plan a health fair—give out information on physical activity and show how to do some sports or exercises.
Ask for bottled water, 100% fruit juices, fat-free or low-fat milk, pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits to be offered in vending machines.	Plan a walk or dance.
Work with dietitians from the local health center, clinic, or hospital to start classes on healthy eating and cooking.	Start group exercise classes.
Promote healthy foods or potlucks at events.	Put up posters about the benefits of walking up and down stairs.

Workplace Activities

Focus on Healthy Eating	Focus on Physical Activity
Place articles, tips, and recipes about healthy eating on bulletin boards and in break rooms and the cafeteria.	Place articles or tips about physical activity on bulletin boards and in break rooms and the cafeteria.
Ask the cafeteria to serve more fruits and vegetables.	Start a group to do stretching exercises during breaks.
Ask for bottled water, 100% fruit juices, fat-free or low-fat milk, pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits to be offered in vending machines.	Put up posters about the benefits of walking up and down stairs.
Promote healthy potlucks.	Start a walking club at lunchtime or after work.
Hold a contest for the best healthy recipe.	Arrange a group physical activity class at or near the workplace.

Community Activity Interest Form

To help plan your physical activity or healthy eating event, ask members of your community about their interests. Make copies of the form below and give them to people in your community. Ask them to fill out the forms and collect them, or have them mail the forms back to you. Please remember to add a return address and due date at the end of the form if people are asked to mail it back.

Community Activity Interest Form

Would you like to learn more about physical activity and healthy eating?

Please take a few minutes to fill out this form. Tell us if you would take part in a community event on physical activity and/or healthy eating. Your answers are needed to help us plan a community activity.

Age: ___________ Male Female

1. Would you like to learn how to eat healthier? Yes No
2. Would you like to learn how to do more physical activities? Yes No
3. Would you take part in any of these activities? (Put a check next to the activities that interest you.)

Classes:
Healthy eating and cooking Gym or fitness center classes

Groups or clubs:
Healthy cooking club Walking group (neighborhood or work)
Grocery store tours Sports team Stroller club

Community picnic, block party, or health fair:
Play active games or sports           Sample healthy foods and snacks
Learn new sports                              Take part in healthy recipe contests
Take part in a health screening     Get information and recipes on healthy eating
Others:_____________________________________________________________________

4. What time of the week or day would be best for you to join a community activity?
_________________________________________________________________________

5. Would you bring children to the activity? Yes No

6. Would you like to help plan a community healthy eating or physical activity event? Yes No
If yes, please write down your name and contact information so we can reach you.

Name:___________________________________ Phone:____________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________________________
Email:_______________________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to complete this form.

Please return this form by to ________________ to __________________________________
(date) (address)

Success Story: Crossroads’ Annual Fourth-Grade Excellent Biking Adventure (CAFEBA)

“I am a fourth-grade teacher who loves telling kids that there are many fun physical activities they can do instead of watching TV. Since 1978, I have organized the Crossroads’ Annual Fourth-Grade Excellent Biking Adventure (CAFEBA) at Crossroads Park Elementary School. The idea for a bike ride grew from my hope to get kids moving and excited about biking—something I enjoy so much.

We get a lot of help from the parents, school, and community, so the 1-day, 20-mile event is free. In the weeks before CAFEBA, volunteers from the local bike shop and hospital come to tell the kids about wearing helmets for safety. A police officer also teaches them about bicycle laws and places they can ride. On the day of the ride, all of our fourth graders—about 75 students—and as many parents as possible come. They bring their own sack lunches and coolers. A donated truck carries the bicycles to the trails. If a student doesn’t own a bike, I arrange to borrow one.

Besides the bikes, the parents and school provide cell phones and first aid kits. Cell phones are a good way to reach people at different points along the trail and to alert others if there are any problems.

One of my proudest memories is CAFEBA’s 20th anniversary ride. We increased the distance from 15 miles to 20 miles that year. The school had some doubts about whether the kids could ride that far. But I knew they could—and they did! Every fourth grader finished that ride with a big sense of success and satisfaction. Now, at least three other schools in the district have a bike ride like ours, and other kids throughout the community want to ride too! It is great to be a part of that.”

Carol M., 54—Des Moines, Iowa

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