Kids Talk, Munch ‘N Move
Whitsunday Regional Libraries recently offered community partners and families an opportunity to connect through the Kids Talk, Munch ‘N Move (KTMM) project. This project was funded by the SLQ-F5F Innovation Grant 2019-20 and promoted local services with free advice and lessons for families. Information provided focused on developing healthy habits relating to nutrition, cooking and physical activity for optimal brain development of children aged 0-5. Healthy little bodies, healthy little brains! Many studies on taste preferences have found that the way we acquire our food preferences is through repetition – just like language. KTMM helped develop children’s language by asking them to follow simple instructions, exposure to unfamiliar terminology and encouragement to interact with others through conversation and play.
Four programs were held across the Whitsundays in Bowen, Proserpine, Collinsville and Cannonvale. Each program consisted of four, forty-five minute sessions. The first session was presented by a Nutritionist who spoke about making healthy food choices, understanding food labels and tips for fussy eaters. The second session was a hands-on cooking activity guided by a member of the Queensland Country Women’s Association in one of their kitchens, preparing a simple recipe to share, discussing cooking and shopping on a budget and providing suggestions for modifying recipes for food intolerances. A qualified yoga instructor led families through simple yoga moves during session three and provided ideas for wellbeing and integrating physical movement into daily routines. The final session consisted of a Story Time to bring together above learnings and provide further ideas for families to continue at home.
Targeted resource kits were created for the project and utilized during sessions to encourage further exploration of topics, in addition to stimulating co-operative play, role playing and building of social and communication skills. These resource kits continue to be used during regular library children’s programs and outreach activities. Community partnerships established through the KTMM project are ongoing and library staff are implementing skills learnt in their programming and developing their own healthy habits!