Fun Days, the Healthy Way!
Fun Days, the Healthy Way!
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Published in our September 2025 newsletter
The weather in Philadelphia already felt like summer by the second-to-last week of school when Martha Washington’s annual Fun Day was held. The event served as a celebration of a successful school year and was an enjoyable way for students to kick off their upcoming summer vacation. Held outside, the Fun Day was also a great opportunity for students to get outside and get moving!
When students made their way outside for the festivities, they were greeted by lots of active ways to have fun. There were stations set up all around the schoolyard, including places for students to run races, hula hoop with each other, play on the playground, have their faces painted, and even a DJ booth for dancing. There were also sprinklers and water balloons to help the students stay cool in the sun.
Eat Right Philly also attended the Fun Day! Program Manager Danielle had a table dedicated to healthy hydration—a perfect choice for the warm, sunny day! Students enjoyed sampling healthy flavored water infused with fresh strawberries, mint leaves, and lemon slices. They also had the chance to win fun prizes, such as color-changing “mood” cups and lunchbox-ready snack containers, by answering fruit and vegetable trivia using a spin wheel. Danielle also brought a set of activity dice to add in a little extra movement. She and the students took turns rolling the dice to see what types of exercise they would do together next.
Though the Fun Day festivities wrapped up by mid-afternoon, there was still a Groceries for Good distribution scheduled for the end of the school day. Groceries for Good is a partnership between the Giant Company, The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, Share Food Program, and Eat Right Philly. The program distributes fresh produce monthly at select Philadelphia public schools to support students and families in cooking and eating nutritious food.
For the June distribution, Share dropped off lots of fresh corn on the cob, zucchini, cucumbers, and strawberries—all in season produce items. In addition to exposing families to different types of produce, Groceries for Good helps families eat more fruits and vegetables by shopping seasonal picks. Danielle and Martha Washington faculty and staff worked quickly to set up tables and bags for students to easily grab the produce on their way home for the day. Danielle distributed cheese sticks with handouts on healthy snacking, teaching the students how combining food groups is a great way to create a nutritionally balanced snack. She also sent students home with healthy recipes to inspire their families to cook with the Groceries for Good produce.
Martha Washington is a good example of how lots of nutrition initiatives can come together to help students and families make big changes. Increasing physical activity, choosing to stay hydrated with water, and eating more fruits and vegetables are all healthy habits that young students can practice throughout their lives. Healthy celebrations like Martha Washington’s Fun Day, and community nutrition programs like Groceries for Good are an important part of setting students up for healthier futures.
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