Another great website from PBS Kids! Geared towards early elementary school kids, Fizzy’s Lunch Lab was just launched a few months ago. It’s all about teaching kids what we can do to make smart food choices and learn the benefits of living healthy, presented in a fun and humorous way.
At a time when healthy eating and nutrition are more crucial then ever, Fizzy’s Lunch Lab gives children a chance to play with their food, and eat it too! There are a few games to choose from, but what I really like are the weekly themes. Each week, there’s a new animated video with a fun printable recipe for kids and parents to enjoy. Monthly food and nutrition themes help guide the message and menu, while each animated short teaches new concepts pertaining to the featured theme. February’s theme is ‘good fat & bad fat’.
My 5-year-old’s favorite part of the site are the printable recipes. She’s the kid that prints every recipe out of those little machines when we’re at the grocery store, so it’s not surprising! We’re going to be making the apple crepes this weekend – Maya is SO excited! Each printout even has a tear-off shopping list that we can take with us when we do our grocery shopping! Love it!
Another section of the website she really enjoyed was the “Kitchen Tour with Mixie.” She explored every corner of the kitchen, learning about difference appliances, bakeware, and anything else you can think of that you’d find in a kitchen. Kids can click on the pictures and read along, and those still too young can listen as Mixie describes every item.
My favorite part? The printable placemats.
While I’m cooking I tell the girls that we’re going to “play restaurant.” I pretend to take their orders, bring them their drinks in recycled restaurant kids cups, then set a placemat in front of them, and give them 4 crayons each. This shuts them up entertains them until dinner is served! 😉
Parents and teachers can visit PBS Parents and PBS Teachers for extensive resources to further the learning, from ideas for family activities to simple lesson plans that correspond with Fizzy’s monthly theme and educational goals. You can also connect with @LunchLab on Twitter, linking to additional health tips, recipes, and articles.
Disclosure: I don’t get anything for posting this information. I’ve worked with PBS in the past, but have been a fan of PBS programming since I was a kid, and genuinely appreciate all they do!
