Shine Bright Tongala kindergarten goes with the flow for water only program

By Michael Lloyd

Mar 11, 2024

Healthy living: Children from Shine Bright in Tongala learn all about the health benefits of drinking water over sugar-rich soft drinks. Photo by Supplied

Tongala’s youngest children are the newest participants in a program encouraging everyone to make water their top drop.

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Shine Bright Kindergarten teachers Holly Swetman and Melissa D’Angelo-Noonan said ‘Water Only’ aligned perfectly with other healthy choice education programs, like Smiles 4 Miles and the kinder’s healthy eating policy.

“As part of our journey to educate the children on healthy habits, it was important for us to ensure they understand all healthy habits, and learning about why water is good for our bodies,” they said.

“The children have loved learning about sugar content in different drinks and then sharing with their parents what they learned about hydration from the incursion.”

Goulburn Valley Water education officer Lizzi Lewis said Water Only aimed to give children the information they needed to help them make smart choices about what they drink each day.

“Educating children from a young age about why water is so important for their health and how it can help focus, learn and play is a key part of our Water Only program,” she said.

“We’re also really lucky to have safe, reliable and quality water, so we want to encourage people to choose tap, as it can also help save money compared to bottled drinks and is better for the environment.”

According to Ms Lewis, it is anticipated that the program will be a permanent fixture of the Tongala centre.

By Michael Lloyd