Skip to main content
Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content

Overview

​​​​​​​​In Transitional Kindergarten, children learn to make healthy food choices, to eat a variety of foods, and that their bodies need different kinds of foods to grow. In kindergarten, they will build on those skills and knowledge to select healthy foods in a variety of settings, ask for healthy foods, and plan a nutritious breakfast. ​

The Orange County Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links to particular items in hypertext are not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.​​​​

Information and Resources

Eat, Play, Grow: Creative Activities for a Healthy Start

Early childhood health curriculum developed by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan in partnership with the National Institutes of Health.​

Learn More

Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit featuring MyPlate (Preschool)

​Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit Featuring MyPlate is a garden-themed nutrition education kit for child care center staff that introduces children to fruits and vegetables.

Learn More

Book List

Transitional Kindergarten

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Gregory, the Terrible Eater

by Mitchell Sharmat

Classroom Activities

  • ​Read-aloud books, sing songs, and watch videos that are age-appropriate and humorous. 
  • Use alphabet and counting books featuring fruits and vegetables. 
  • Have students draw pictures of fruits and vegetables. 
  • ​Use play fruits and vegetables in grocery store or kitchen play areas.
  • Consider creating a school garden or a play garden. 
  • Play restaurant and have students practice choosing healthy meals. 
  • Write and draw menus. 
  • Respect traditions and cultural food choices of students​.

Partnerships

​Partnering with the Family​​

  • ​Encourage children to ask their family members’ about their childhood experiences with gardening or traditional family foods. 
  •  Send home a newsletter about healthy foods drawn and written, with adult assistance, by the children. 
  • Suggest as a family activity that children will try one healthy food (such as a vegetable or fruit) or dish (made in or outside their home) that they do not usually eat—and ask parents, guardians, and caretakers, with the help of their children, to report on their child’s experience. 
  • Invite family members to visit class to help prepare healthy snacks for students, highlighting various foods from different cultures and traditions. 
  • Host a family cooking class or event for parents, guardians, or caregivers.​

​​Partnering with your School​​​

  • ​Collaborate with the teacher librarian to identify books, videos, and other age-appropriate resources to share with your children on how a variety of nutritious foods help the body grow and keep them healthy. 
  •  Work with your school nutrition staff to arrange food tastings that correspond to the letter of the week or show children how food is prepared in their cafeteria.

​​Partnering with your Community​​

  • Invite local food growers to bring in food with its roots or leaves still attached and talk about foods that are grown locally. 
  • If there is a farmers’ market or community garden near your school, consider taking children there on a walking field trip. 
  • Local chefs who specialize in healthy foods could also be invited as guest speakers.​
Orange County Department of Education
  • 200 Kalmus Drive
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  • PO Box 9050
    Costa Mesa, CA 92628-9050
  • (714) 966-4000

Developed by Orange County Department of Education in
partnership with California Department of Education

  • Orange County Department of Education
  • California Department of Education

This Internet site contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for your convenience. The Orange County Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links to particular items in hypertext are not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.
Back To Top