It is important for children to learn to lead a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthily and sustainably is a key part of this. The healthier a child’s diet is at a young age, the lower the risk of illness later in life. This also includes healthy treats. On this page, we aim to give you some ideas for alternative ways to celebrate a birthday at school.
A good alternative to the treat policy is the party policy! So no more bringing in treats, but instead celebrating and putting the birthday child in the spotlight. The idea might take a bit of getting used to at first, but ultimately, switching from treats to a party offers numerous benefits for parents, children and schools, nurseries or after-school clubs alike. For a start, financial differences between parents no longer matter; there are no arguments about the size or contents of a treat; and parents don’t have to stress about making or buying them. Children no longer have to refuse a treat because of, for example, religious beliefs or allergies. And, what’s more, no treats means it’s healthier and better for the environment.
GGD NOG has produced a poster that schools and teachers can use to come up with fun activities with the children as an alternative to bringing in treats. With this A2 poster (with 17 blank spaces) the teacher, together with the class, comes up with a maximum of 17 options from which the children can choose on their birthdays.
Over the course of a school year, a child can easily receive 30 treats – so how many treats do all the teachers receive? Parents are often strongly tempted to opt for quick and easy solutions: this often means food that is too salty, too sweet and/or too fatty, and too much of it. Schools can draw up policies to make these treats healthier. For example: what a child is allowed to hand out, what is desirable and, above all, what is healthy for all children? Once this is introduced at school, this way of sharing treats will gradually become more normal and easier. And healthy eating and drinking will then become a real treat too!
The JOGG coordinator and Healthy School adviser would be happy to visit. You can register via the registration form.
