A boy eating a snack. (USDA photo)

Summer is a great time for kids to get outside and be physically active. But for those days that are spent indoors, Nutrition.gov’s Children section has solutions to keep children busy and encourage healthy lifestyle habits.

Kids can learn to cook safely and healthfully with the resources on the Kids in the Kitchen Web page. You can find recipes, healthy snack tips, meal preparation, and other kitchen activities for children from age two to five. You can also view educational videos through Kids Rock Nutrition in the Kitchen, and teach children safe cooking skills and how to incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables, lean protein, healthy oils, whole grains and low-fat dairy products into meals.

Game on! In the Kids’ Corner, children can browse interactive games and activities to learn about basic nutrition, physical activity and food safety. For example, the MyPlate Blast Off Game teaches kids how to fuel up their “MyPlate spaceship” with smart food choices, while the Food Safety and Inspection Services’ Food Safety Mobile Coloring Book shows kids the basics on keeping food safe from harmful bacteria. Other games, like Grocery Store Bingo and Kids Food Critic Activity, can help kids get more engaged while they’re shopping for food with their parents at the store.

Nutrition.gov is part of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service’s National Agricultural Library, and serves as a gateway to reliable information on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity and food safety for consumers.