Afterschool with the Kids

by Nadine Sigle, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent

The last couple of years Post Rock Extension has been helping the Osborne Library with the WAC (Wednesday After Class) program. Yesterday (April 16, 2014) was our last session to help for the school year. It was a nice afternoon and we were able to get the kids outside to do all of our activities.

 
As an agent whose programming focus is foods, nutrition, health and safety, I always try to have something where the kids are able to be up and move. Yesterday, with assistance from Nora Rhoades, Family & Youth Development Extension Agent, they played MyPlate Relay. With cardboard food models they had to race to the plate to drop the food into the corresponding food group. 

It’s a great way to see if the kids have learned what food group the various foods belong to.

 
The second activity, the kids made their own windowsill onion garden. It started with the reading of the children’s book, “Tops and Bottoms.” The book allows us to discuss the plant parts we eat.

 

The kids weren’t overly excited about planting an onion but they did like seeing the windowsill garden.

Using a clear plastic bottle, they filled it with potting soil, planted their onion sets, and then watered it. In a few days the onion should be sprouting and popping through the top of the bottle.

 

The part the kids enjoy the most is making a creative snack. This time the kids made apple frogs and strawberry mice. Both were critters you might occasionally find in the vegetable garden.

 

And of course the best part is being able to eat them.

WAC (Wednesday After Class) is a great program and I would like to thank the Osborne Library and all of the volunteers who make this happen. It gives Extension an opportunity to share some educational programming, but more importantly it gives the kids a safe place to go on Wednesday afternoons and learn a little while having some fun.