Vote with Your Feet

‘Vote with Your Feet’ is a method to check that children have learned health facts well. It can be used with any yes/no quizzes.

Before the Session

1. Create or find a suitable quiz (there are many to be found on our website!).
2. Write “YES”, “NO” and “DON’T KNOW” on three pieces of paper or card.

In the Session…

1. Start the session by teaching children the facts about the Children for Health topic. This needs to be done using a mixture of:
   • teacher directed learning;
   • pair work where one child acts as the teacher asking questions and the other answers them and then swap around;
   • group work whereby children ask and answer questions in groups of 5 or 6.
2. Conduct a whole group Q&A BUT have the CHILDREN ask the teacher the questions. It is VERY good to involve a health worker in this Q&A if at all possible. Try to dispel any myths or misinformation.
3. Ask the children to stand in a circle and give the three signs to children standing at equal distances around the circle. Alternatively, put the signs on the wall or on a chair with some tape and position the “YES” & “NO” signs at opposite ends of the room with the middle being “DON’T KNOW”.
4. Then, read out statements or questions about your topic one by one. At the end of each statement ask the children to run and line up behind their answer (“YES”, “NO” or “DON’T KNOW”). Follow this by discussing the correct answer.
5. Continue the game until you feel that the children all know the correct answers. Make sure you read out the whole set of statements at least twice and if using the children to hold the signs, swap over with other children after you have finished one complete set, so every child has a turn as a ‘runner’ (not every child needs to have a turn as a sign holder!).

Here is a photo of this game being used to help teachers check that children know the facts about how to feed babies and young children. It comes from a nutrition programme in Mozambique that Children for Health is helping.