Enrichment Activities

Add some additional fun to your summer and afterschool meals sites by offering enrichment activities! Examples include providing nutrition education, physical activity opportunities, arts and crafts, and reading. See below for some fun, simple, and low-cost ideas.


NEW: Olympic-Themed Enrichment Activities

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New for SummerPalooza 2023


General Nutrition and Physical Activity Resources


Fruits and Vegetables

Doing fun activities around fruits and vegetables can help get kids excited to eat them. Consider doing fun activities around the fruits and vegetables served in the meals and/or doing a taste test featuring the items being promoted.

Summer Fruit and Vegetable Holidays

Promote fruits and vegetables year-round, but consider having special themed activities for national fruit and vegetable holidays at your summer meals sites!

  • June: National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month
  • June 11: National Corn on the Cob Day
  • June 17: National Eat Your Vegetables Day
  • July: National Blueberry Month
  • July: National Watermelon Month
  • August: National Peach Month
  • August 3: National Watermelon Day

Fruit and Vegetable Resources

Blueberry Activity Ideas

Corn Activity Ideas

Peach Activity Ideas

Strawberry Activity Ideas

Watermelon Activity Ideas


Farm to Summer

Farm to Summer helps connect local foods with summer meals programs through activities such as serving local foods as part of meals or taste tests, education, and gardening.

Farm to Summer Resources

Farm to Summer Activity Ideas


Physical Activity

Help kids stay active during the summer by offering fun physical activity opportunities!

Physical Activity Ideas


Ray, the official NC Summer Meals Mascot

Ray loves visiting meal sites and doing enrichment activities with kids! See below for Ray-themed activities.

Ray Activity Ideas


Nutrition Education from the Carolina Hunger Initiative

The Carolina Hunger Initiative site hosts tons of nutrition education materials for kids and teens, including: activity handouts you can print and bring to sites; simple, healthy recipes you can teach to kids; online games; and more.