Jump Into Foods and Fitness with youth

Looking for some fun, hands-on activities to do with third through fifth graders on the topic of nutrition, fitness and food safety? Then the Jump Into Foods and Fitness (JIFF) curriculum is for you!

The Jump Into Foods and Fitness (JIFF) curriculum is used across the state and country in many different ways to teach youth about nutrition, fitness and food safety. One way the curriculum is used is through after-school programs. It also can be used in classroom settings as a series of eight lessons. This curriculum comes with a pre- and post-evaluation, as well as newsletters for parents.

4-H club meetings are a great place to work with kids around the topic of nutrition, fitness and food safety. JIFF curriculum is packed with fun, hands-on activities that can be done together or separately over a span of a few meetings. It is user-friendly and takes the “learning by doing” model of 4-H and puts it into action.

Each lesson uses the 4-H Experience Learning Model as a framework to help youth learn from their experiences by providing questions around “Do, reflect and apply.” Adults and teens working with youth allow youth the freedom to talk about what they experience.

The eight lessons are:

  • Kangaroo Jump 1: H for Health
  • Kangaroo Jump 2: Go the Distance with Grains
  • Kangaroo Jump 3: High Five for Health
  • Kangaroo Jump 4: Moving & Motion
  • Kangaroo Jump 5: Power up the Day
  • Kangaroo Jump 6: On the Go
  • Kangaroo Jump 7: Choices for Good Health
  • Kangaroo Jump 8: Celebrating JIFF

JIFF was developed in partnership with Michigan State University Extension’s Michigan 4-H Youth Program and the MSU Department of Kinesiology. This curriculum has recently been updated.

To obtain a copy of this curriculum, visit the MSU Extension Bookstore and search for Jump Into Foods & Fitness. To learn more about 4-H and MSU Extension programming around nutrition education and food safety, visit your local MSU Extension office.

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