Yummy healthy eating for children in Liverpool

From tomorrow over 12,000 kids, aged three to five years old, are to explore the world of food using games, play, song and dance to promote the best habits of growing, cooking and eating. ''Yum, Yum, Yummy - Healthy Food, All Year Round'' will offer early years workers an abundance of creative ideas, suggestions and tips from simple recipes to 'take it home' activities, engaging children in the British growing season and focuses on foods from around the world. This very tasty pack is being provided as a free resource for more than 300 early years settings, such as nurseries and children's centres, with over 1,000 nursery workers and reception teachers will be trained to promote its benefits. Lessons include: • Try 'Orange Squashing' - and count how many oranges you need to squish to fill your cup • Sing the apple song and then munch and crunch on your favourite autumnal snack • Dance yourself from seed to sunflower • Imagine a perfect picnic and pack your hamper The nutritional guide will complement the UK's first, free under-five active programme which Liverpool City Council's Sportslinx team launched in all of the city's leisure centres earlier this year. Councillor Keith Turner, executive member for Children's Services, said: ''It is vital that we teach children from the youngest age possible how to lead a healthy life and this fun food pack will be key to that drive in Liverpool. Combined with our Futures programme Liverpool is now the UK leader in tackling youth obesity and we are already being inundated with requests from other councils eager to follow in our footsteps - which can only be good for children across the country.'' The activities in 'Yum, Yum, Yummy' provide opportunities to develop enabling skills including social, practical, creative, linguistic, numerical and scientific. There are practitioner-led sessions, child-initiated activities, ideas for food-focussed trips and ideas to send home for the family. Liz Lamb, Sportslinx manager for Liverpool City Council, said: ''The aim of the pack is to provide the inspiration, information and tools to make healthy food an active part of Early Years provision that will enthuse and engage everyone from teachers and children to parents. Obesity is a proven killer and encouraging children to learn about healthy food in a fun and playful way can have huge consequences for their future well being.''