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 weekthen 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
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Focus on Physical Activity
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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. |
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|
School Activities
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Focus on Physical Activity
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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. |
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|
Seasonal Activities
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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. |
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Faith-Based or Community Center/Club Activities
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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. |
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Workplace Activities
|
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. |
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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.
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
bikingsomething 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
gradersabout 75 studentsand 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 doesnt 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 CAFEBAs 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 couldand 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 |