DEAR PARENT/GUARDIAN,
We all want our children to be fit and healthy. darby
boingg can be your partner as you talk to your
children and teach them good life choices. All parents
can use a little help sometimes!
Enjoy!
Mary Ann Dudko, Ph.D.
Educational Consultant
DEAR PROUD PARENT/GUARDIAN,
I’m Darby Boingg and I created a book for your kids
about getting fit and staying healthy. I teach the
importance of eating right, exercising, healthy
snacking, drinking water and limiting fast food. This
interactive guide is for you and your kids to work
together to make a plan for healthy living!
Darby Boingg
DISCLAIMER. This book provides general
information about various nutrition, exercise and
health-related issues. This information does not
constitute medical advice and is not intended to be
used as a solitary reference on the subject matter, for
the diagnosis or treatment of a health problem, or as
a substitute for consulting a liensed health care
professional. Consult with a qualified physician or
healthcare practitioner to discuss specific individual
issues or health needs, and to professionally address
personal, emotional, health, physical, nutritional or
medical concerns. You should consult a qualified
medical professional before beginning any exercise
program.
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 1
DARBY BOINGG INTRODUCES
THE…
The Super Centeam 5 characters were created to
teach kids the importance of all aspects of healthy
living and nutrition.
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 2
BE FOOD-WISE!
1. Think about what you eat before each meal to
make good choices.
2. Make sure you eat grains,vegetables and fruits.
3. Eating yogurt and cheese will help your bones
grow.
4. It is important to fuel your body with meat, beans,
fish and nuts.
5. Don’t skip meals! It is important to fuel your
engine with balanced meals all day long.
HEALTHY AND HELPFUL TIP:
Ask your doctor which multivitamin is the right one for
your child!
CHECK THE ACTIVITIES YOUR
FAMILY IS ABLE TO DO TO BE MORE
FOOD-WISE AND EAT HEALTHIER.
Look at food labels for nutritional content
Have milk, yogurt or cheese at every meal
Make a food calendar for a week to plan healthy
meals
Eat wheat or multigrain bread instead of white
Prepare meals together in advance
Eat dinner together several nights a week
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 3
BE ACTIVE!
1. Being fit and trim helps you have energy for
sports.
2. Keeping fit helps your muscles and bones work
better.
3. Keeping fit is easy- you can walk your dog, throw
a ball, do jumping jacks, jump rope or play
hopscotch.
4. Find someone to play with you in your yard or at
the park.
5. Being active keeps you flexible in your joints and
muscles.
HEALTHY AND HELPFUL TIP:
Put on some music and dance with your kids!
FUN IDEAS FOR GETTING ACTIVE
WITH YOUR KID:
Mall walking
Check out a dance or exercise video from the library
Walk your dog together to the park
WHAT ARE YOUR 3 ACTIVE IDEAS?
1
2
3
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 4
DRINK UP!
1. Drink water when you are thirsty. Water is better
for you than soda.
2. Drink water with every meal.
3. Drink extra water when it is hot outside.
4. Drink lots of water before, during and after
exercise.
5. Carry a reusable water bottle and fill it up.
HEALTHY AND HELPFUL TIP:
Use fun ice cube trays or color your ice cubes with
just a dash of food coloring!
LIST YOUR “THIRSTY” IDEAS TO
HELP YOU AND YOUR CHILD DRINK
MORE WATER.
*
*
*
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 5
SNACK ON!
1. Only snack when you are hungry.
2. Two or three snacks a day is a good rule,
especially when you are active.
3. Popcorn, yogurt, veggies, cheese, fruit, peanut
butter crackers are all great snacks to keep you
going.
4. Stick to healthy snacks. Candy, soda and chips
aren’t the best fuel for keeping you fit.
5. Always keep a snack in your backpack to fuel
you up.
HEALTHY AND HELPFUL TIP:
Prepare a few snacks ahead of time and store them in
plastic bags or containers for easy access!
CHECK THE HEALTHY SNACKS THAT
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD
LIKE:
Cheese slice
Peanut butter & celery
Fruit/ yogurt
Banana
Raisins
Popcorn
Graham crackers & milk
Nuts
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 6
FAST FOOD... SKIP IT!
1. Skip the drive thru as much as possible and eat
meals at home.
2. Fast food is better as a treat than a regular part
of your diet.
3. If you do eat fast food, choose apple slices or
fruit instead of french fries with your meal.
4. Drink chocolate milk with your meal. It’s better for
you than soda.
5. Fast food is not fit fuel.
HEALTHY AND HELPFUL TIP:
When making your family’s weekly healthy meal plan,
schedule a meal outing at a fast food place and
choose their healthier choices!
HERE ARE SOME HEALTHIER
CHOICES AT FAST FOOD PLACES!
Encourage your kids to choose these:
Apple slices vs. French fries
Milk vs. Soda
Smaller portions vs. Larger ones
Grilled chicken sandwich vs. Fried chicken
sandwich
Yogurt parfait vs. Milkshake
Green side salad vs. French fries
Grilled chicken strips vs. Fried chicken strips
ADVE
NTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 7
QUICK & EASY
BREAKFAST TIPS
1. Peanut butter, apple, milk
Check if it sounds yummy to you!
2. Tortilla, eggs, juice
Check if it sounds yummy to you!
3. Oatmeal, fruit, milk
Check if it sounds yummy to you!
4. Whole wheat waffle with strawberries
Check if it sounds yummy to you!
5. Your kid’s favorite healthy meal
Check if it sounds yummy to you!
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 8
KITCHEN COOKING TIPS:
Include kids in meal planning and preparation
they’ll be more likely to want to eat what they
help to plan and prepare
Assign tasks appropriate for your child’s age
no sharp knives for younger children!
Limit access to hot stoves and ovens, especially
for younger children
Follow a written recipe many reading and math
skills are involved in following a recipe
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 9
SUGGESTIONS FOR A
HEALTHY PUNCH IN
YOUR KID’S LUNCH!
Raisins
Pretzels
Orange wedges
Cheese slices
Nuts
Celery
Carrots
Peanut butter
Crackers
If your kids buy a school lunch, talk to them about
these healthy tips:
1. Review the school lunch menu and help your kids
make healthy choices ahead of time
2. Encourage healthy portions at school
3. Suggest that your child eat a piece of fruit instead
of a dessert
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 10
SIT DOWN WITH YOUR
KIDS AND WRITE DOWN
HEALTHY GOALS FOR
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
#1 Healthy Eating
Family goal:
#2 Drinking Water
Family goal:
#3 Fitness/Exercise
Family goal:
#4 Limiting Junk Food
Family goal:
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 11
WHAT IS A “HEALTHY DIET”?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describe a
healthy diet as one that:
Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs,
and nuts; and
Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol,
salt (sodium), and added sugars.
MyPlate helps individuals use the Dietary Guidelines
to:
Make smart choices from every food group.
Find balance between food and physical activity.
Get the most nutrition out of calories.
Stay within daily calorie needs.
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 12
HTTP://WWW.CHOOSEMY
PLATE.GOV
Not only does choosemyplate.gov help keep portions
real, it also helps you eat a healthy variety of foods.
Fruits
bananas, oranges, apples, berries, raisins,
watermelon
Vegetables green beans, peas, carrots, broccoli,
cauliflower, green salad, spinach
Grains
oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice
Protein
chicken, beef, tofu, eggs, pork, fish, beans
Dairy milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, puddings
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 13
DARBY BOINGG’S HEALTHY
AND HANDY SHOPPING LIST:
IT’S NOT ALL YOU NEED,
BUT IT’S A GOOD START!
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
Eggs
Ham
Turkey
Chicken
Oatmeal
Apples
Oranges
Bananas
Celery
Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Beans
Peanut Butter
Nuts
Lean Hamburger
ADVE
NTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 14
Multicrain Cereal
Multigrain Bread
Grapes
Fruit Juice
Tomato Juice
Rice
Pasta Noodles
© 2012 Centene Corporation. All rights reserved. All
materials are exclusively owned by Centene
Corporation and are protected by United States and
international copyright law. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, distributed, displayed, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of Centene Corporation. You may not alter
or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice.
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 15
Take the fitropolis pledge with your child...
FITROPOLIS PLEDGE
I am going to eat right, for me and my belly… i’ll put
down my soda and my donut full of jelly. I am gonna
eat lots of carrots, which are healthy for me and plan
all my meals with balance and broccoli. I’ll drink water
daily, exercise and play, feeling good and eating right
is the only way! So today i am pledging to treat my
body right, being super healthy makes your future
bright!
I took the fitropolis pledge!
Darby boingg
X Sign _____________________________________
Child
X Sign _____________________________________
Parent/guardian
PROACTIVE AND
HEALTHY WEB SITES
http://www.kids.gov
http://www.kidshealth.org
http://www.choosemyplate.gov
ADVENTURES THROUGH FITROPOLIS PARENTS GUIDE 16
Written by Michelle Bain
Illustrated by Lorenzo Lizana and Dmitri Jackson
ISBN 978-0-9850897-3-3
Made in the USA
Keep the planet healthy! This book was printed on
printed paper.