Head Start CLASSROOM EXERCISES One of the most important ways to keep children healthy is to teach them how to avoid lead hazards. Songs reinforce ideas about how to stay lead safe. These songs are designed for children from the ages of 1 to 5 years old. The following suggested questions could be used to reinforce the main ideas in the songs. Throughout this exercise, remember that the children should now be able to identify sources of lead, know the importance of washing their hands, understand that things fall on the floor and get dirty, and eat healthy foods. This message could be further reinforced by teach- ing the songs immediately before or after serving one of the suggested healthy snacks. You may want to make copies of the songs so the children can take them home I and sing them with their parents. At the next parents' meeting be sure to provide parents with EPA's Chance of a Lifetime brochure and the list of snack ideas for them to try at home. For more informa- tion on lead poisoning please refer to EPA's Chance of a Lifetime fact sheets. To request additional information you may also contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) or visit www.epa.gov/lead. 1) What are some of the things we can put in our mouths? Apples, bananas, popsicles, sandwiches. 2) What are some of the things not to put in our mouths? Toys, pencils, crayons, snow. 3) What kind of chips are okay to put in our mouths? Apple chips, bagel chips, potato chips. 4) What kinds of chips should we not put in our mouths? Paint chips, wood chips, rock chips. 5) What should we do before we eat? Wash our hands. 6) What are some of the good things you should eat to make you big and strong? Milk, yogurt, fruit, fish, chicken, broccoli. 7) What should we do if we see a friend, brother, or sister picking things up off of the floor and putting them into their mouths? Stop them! ------- SUGGESTED SONGS Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Sung to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat) Note: While singing this song children could also pretend to wash their hands to reinforce thorough scrubbing techniques. This song is courtesy ofwww.theideabox.com. Wash, wash, wash, your hands play our handy game rub and scrub, scrub and rub germs go down the drain HEY! Wash, Wash, Wash your hands play our handy game rub and scrub, scrub and rub dirt goes down the drain HEY! rfk This Is The Way We Wash Our Hands This is the way we wash our hands Wash our hands Wash our hands This is the way we wash our hands To keep our bodies healthy This is the way we eat good food Eat good food Eat good food This is the way we eat good food To keep our bodies healthy Wash Your Hands (Sung to the tune of When You're Happy and You Know It) When you've washed your hands and you know it, clap your hands, (clap, clap) When you've washed your hands and you know it, clap your hands, (clap, clap) When you've washed your hands you know it then your healthy body will show it. When you've washed your hands and you know it, clap your hands, (clap, clap) For more information about lead poisoning, visit EPffs Vlfeb site at ^^v^ www.epa.gov/lead or call The National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323). ------- |