Local Food Activities
Explore our collection of Local Food activities! The age ranges are suggestions only, many can be adapted to various age groups (please note that the numbers listed are AGES, not grades)
Click on an activity title to download the full activity. You can also use the search bar at the bottom of the page to search for keywords.
Click on an activity title to download the full activity. You can also use the search bar at the bottom of the page to search for keywords.
Name: Food Miles
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 10-18yrs
Time Needed: 15-30min
Description: Students learn about how far their food travels to get to their plates, and learn about the environmental impact of food travelling long distances.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 10-18yrs
Time Needed: 15-30min
Description: Students learn about how far their food travels to get to their plates, and learn about the environmental impact of food travelling long distances.
Name: Growing Sprouts
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 7-18 yrs
Time Needed: 15-30min, with optional weekly observations
Description: Students learn that it can be easy and inexpensive to grow their own nutritious food.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 7-18 yrs
Time Needed: 15-30min, with optional weekly observations
Description: Students learn that it can be easy and inexpensive to grow their own nutritious food.
Name: Making Whole Grain Bread
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-18yrs
Time Needed: 90min
Description: Students learn about the time and effort it takes to make food from whole ingredients, as well as the nutritional benefits of making food from scratch.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-18yrs
Time Needed: 90min
Description: Students learn about the time and effort it takes to make food from whole ingredients, as well as the nutritional benefits of making food from scratch.
Name: Making Butter
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 90min
Description: Students learn how to make their own butter using simple ingredients and techniques.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 90min
Description: Students learn how to make their own butter using simple ingredients and techniques.
Name: Compost Tea
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 15min
Description: Students learn how to brew up “compost tea” and what nutrients plants need to thrive.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 15min
Description: Students learn how to brew up “compost tea” and what nutrients plants need to thrive.
Name: Plant Growth Experiment
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 30min with weekly follow-up sessions
Description: Student compare the growth rate and health of plants started in plain soil versus soil enhanced with biochar inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and organic fertilizers.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: 30min with weekly follow-up sessions
Description: Student compare the growth rate and health of plants started in plain soil versus soil enhanced with biochar inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and organic fertilizers.
Name: Seed Mosaics
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-10yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: Students sort, compare, and contrast seeds, then design and create a picture using seeds.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-10yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: Students sort, compare, and contrast seeds, then design and create a picture using seeds.
Name: Germinating Seeds
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-15yrs
Time Needed: 20min, with quick daily or weekly follow ups
Description: Students make observations about how seeds change as they germinate, and learn about what seeds need in order to germinate.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-15yrs
Time Needed: 20min, with quick daily or weekly follow ups
Description: Students make observations about how seeds change as they germinate, and learn about what seeds need in order to germinate.
Name: Growing Microgreens
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-18yrs
Time Needed: 30min, with weekly follow-ups
Description: Students learn about plant germination and how to grow their own microgreens to be eaten in salads, sandwiches, or soups.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 4-18yrs
Time Needed: 30min, with weekly follow-ups
Description: Students learn about plant germination and how to grow their own microgreens to be eaten in salads, sandwiches, or soups.
Name: Making Paneer
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 6-18yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: Use simple ingredients and methods to teach students how to make paneer (cheese).
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 6-18yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: Use simple ingredients and methods to teach students how to make paneer (cheese).
Name: Tapping Birch Trees
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: ½ day
Description: An outdoor activity, best done with an elder or other expert; select and tap birch trees to collect sap, and use the sap to make a spring tonic, tea, or pair with the Distilling Birch Syrup activity below to make syrup.
Tapping Birch Trees Resource Sheet
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: ½ day
Description: An outdoor activity, best done with an elder or other expert; select and tap birch trees to collect sap, and use the sap to make a spring tonic, tea, or pair with the Distilling Birch Syrup activity below to make syrup.
Tapping Birch Trees Resource Sheet
Name: Distilling Birch Syrup
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: ½ day
Description: An outdoor activity best done with an elder or other expert; boil down birch sap, distill it into syrup, and enjoy!
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-18yrs
Time Needed: ½ day
Description: An outdoor activity best done with an elder or other expert; boil down birch sap, distill it into syrup, and enjoy!
Name: The Great Banana Chain Game
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-18yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: By learning about the trade system between a banana being grown and ending up in their homes, students learn about how food is produced and how their personal choices have global impacts.
The Great Banana Chain Game Resource Sheet
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-18yrs
Time Needed: 60min
Description: By learning about the trade system between a banana being grown and ending up in their homes, students learn about how food is produced and how their personal choices have global impacts.
The Great Banana Chain Game Resource Sheet
Name: Fruits From Around the World
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 5-14yrs
Time Needed: 30min
Description: Students learn where their favourite fruits come from, about food miles and the importance of eating more local food (can also do done with vegetables).
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 5-14yrs
Time Needed: 30min
Description: Students learn where their favourite fruits come from, about food miles and the importance of eating more local food (can also do done with vegetables).
Name: The Travelling Tomato
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-13yrs
Time Needed: 15-20min
Description: Through the story of a tomato’s journey from field to table, students learn about how far their food travels to reach them, the problems associated with importing food from far away, and that our personal food choices have a global and environmental impact.
The Travelling Tomato Resource Sheet
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 8-13yrs
Time Needed: 15-20min
Description: Through the story of a tomato’s journey from field to table, students learn about how far their food travels to reach them, the problems associated with importing food from far away, and that our personal food choices have a global and environmental impact.
The Travelling Tomato Resource Sheet
Name: Where in the World Does Our Food Come From?
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-15yrs
Time Needed: 30min
Description: Gain an understanding that food can be grown close to home, rather than imported from a great distance, by exploring where our food comes from and mapping out the distance that food travels to reach your community.
Where In the World Does Our Food Come From Resource Sheet & Questions
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 12-15yrs
Time Needed: 30min
Description: Gain an understanding that food can be grown close to home, rather than imported from a great distance, by exploring where our food comes from and mapping out the distance that food travels to reach your community.
Where In the World Does Our Food Come From Resource Sheet & Questions
Name: What Are My Foods Made Of?
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 5-8yrs
Time Needed: 20min
Description: Identify what processed foods are made of through a matching activity.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 5-8yrs
Time Needed: 20min
Description: Identify what processed foods are made of through a matching activity.
Name: My Own Local Bistro
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 10-14yrs
Time Needed: 20min
Description: Celebrate local food by designing a menu that incorporates as many local ingredients as possible.
Theme: Local Food
Age Range: 10-14yrs
Time Needed: 20min
Description: Celebrate local food by designing a menu that incorporates as many local ingredients as possible.