Nursery World - Doing it ourselves

Children's health and diet has grabbed the national agenda. The British Medical Journal reported in 2001 that 10 per cent of children under 16 years in England and Scotland are overweight or obese. With such startling statistics there is little time to wait. Children need access to better food, to have more nutritional information and need to be more active - all of which can be delivered, at least in part, through their after-school club.

With such startling statistics there is little time to wait. Children need access to better food, to have more nutritional information and need to be more active - all of which can be delivered, at least in part, through their after-school club.

A recent KCN survey Food For Thought showed that the majority of after-school clubs provide food for children. Almost 70 per cent of breakfast clubs provide hot meals, while 54 per cent of after-school clubs provide hot meals in the afternoon.

What is more, nine out of ten clubs consult with the children on food and activities and the more regularly clubs consult the more options are offered to the children. It is clear that where children are consulted they enjoy a greater range of healthy options to try. Cookery is not only an enjoyable activity but a means of learning about different foods. Cookery activities are provided by 87 per cent of clubs.

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