Healthful Living Field Day is an entire school day devoted to the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Initial planning begins by the physical education teacher arranging for five speakers to come to the school on the day of the event to speak with the children about various health related topics (i.e. drug education, nutrition, safety, dental health, aerobics). Speakers are fairly easily obtained from sources like the local hospital, health department, and local aerobic centers. To assist with the recruitment of speakers, the school nurse or guidance counselor are a great resource.

On the day of the event, five speaker stations are set up around the school...some inside...some outside. Students are divided into five groups by age and rotate from station to station. Each station will last for 30 minutes. Within that time, each speaker talks to a group for 15-20 minutes and then the group has 10 minutes to rotate to the next station.

At E. Melvin Honeycutt Elementary school the Healthful Living Field Day concluded by taking the entire student body...all the teachers...the administration and about three to four HUNDRED parents...on a one mile "fun" walk through a local housing community. The children made signs and banners with healthy slogans to carry and the local police blocked off traffic for about 30 minutes for the group to complete the walk. The district superintendent even served as the "Grand Marshall". (That was great PR for the physical education program!) To achieve maximum participation make sure to promote the event by placing flyers in local stores, advertising in newspapers, and sending a letter home inviting parents to participate.

Healthful Living Field Day takes some planning, but it is an excellent way to promote healthy living to your students and physical education to the community!

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