Introduce yourself to the class. Explain that you are here to tell the children: how they can stay healthy what will happen when they are measured.

Ask children ‘What does being healthy mean Ask children ‘What does being healthy mean?’ to assess their current understanding. Tell them that ‘being healthy’ includes: things we should do, like eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, or being active each day things we should not do too often, like eating sugary or fatty foods, or spending too much time being inactive, like when we watch TV. Explain that if we don’t look after our health we can become overweight and poorly.

Explain that one important part of being healthy is to eat well, and that this means eating the right kinds of foods. Ask children ‘What are your favourite foods?’ Share ideas and ask children how often they like – or are allowed – to eat these favourite foods. Use further questioning to help children identify that there are some foods that we can and should eat more often, while there are other foods that we should eat just now and then or as a treat. Which category do they think their favourite food falls into? Hold up a teddy or toy (or ask children to make choices on their own behalf) and ask children to look at the foods on the slide. Ask children: Which of these are healthier choices, that ________ should eat every day? Which of these are less healthy, that ________ should only eat now and then, as a treat? What are your favourite healthy foods? What’s your favourite fruit or vegetable? Do you know what might happen to ________’s body if he/she eats too many ‘less healthy’ foods? (Explain that the toy may store too much fat in its body, and this can make it unwell.) Ask children to imagine that their class toy (or they themselves) have come home from school and would like a snack. Can they think of a healthy food they could enjoy?

Explain that we need to eat to stay healthy but if we eat too many fatty or sweet foods then that can make us unwell. Ask the children: Which foods in the picture is it good to eat often? Which foods in the picture is it not good to have every day because they have a lot of fat or sugar?

Ask the children who in the picture needs the most food. Explain that eating well also means eating the right amount of food – Me Size Meals. Tell the children that eating big portions all the time, or having seconds, will mean their bodies carry too much fat – and this can make them unwell. Explain that it’s important to eat the right amount for your age and this depends on how much activity you do.

Ask the children: What counts as physical activity? Explain that moving more helps us to be healthy for lots of reasons. It uses energy, and it also helps us feel good and be happy. It’s okay to enjoy activities that don’t involve moving about. For example, reading a book is a great activity and we should all make time to read every day! But we shouldn’t spend too much time doing things that mean keeping still. Instead, we should all try and move more every day. Ask them if they know how much physical activity they should be doing each day, before revealing the answer on the next slide.

Explain that children of their age need to do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Emphasise that there are lots of ways to move more – it’s about finding things you enjoy and which you can fit into your day or week.

Explain to children that nurses can help children to stay healthy by measuring them. Explain that today everyone is going to be measured in two ways: to find out how tall you are and how much you weigh. Explain that this is very simple and quick. All the children have to do is take off their shoes and stand still for a moment.

Use this final slide to reassure children that they can be healthy and happy by eating well and moving about lots. Their parents will be told about their measurements and that will help them to stay healthy too. Refer to Our Healthy Year school activity if appropriate – search Change4Life/schools.