Moo Crew, The Primary Dairy Moovement, will be available to primary schools in the next few weeks with a programme which expands into the junior and senior infant classes for the first time.

The programme goes from these classes all the way up to sixth class; and with extended resources for teachers and pupils.

This year, children have the option to create a poster and to take part in the Moo Crew class-based competition by May 9, 2016.

The top class in the junior category (junior infants to second class) and top class in the senior category (third to sixth class) will win a VIP farm experience to Airfield Farm, where they will have a day packed with adventure.

Each of the two winning schools will also win a training session with Moo Crew ambassador Derval O’Rourke plus a sports equipment pack valued at €1,000.

There are also county prizes at senior and junior level under the programme.

Teachers or pupils who want to find out more about becoming involved in Moo Crew or entering the Moo Crew competition can visit the Moo Crew website.

Moo Crew was developed by the National Dairy Council in consultation with teachers in light of research that demonstrated the prevalence of a nutrition gap amongst Irish primary schoolchildren, with 37% of girls and 28% of boys aged from five to 12 years in Ireland having inadequate calcium intakes in their diet.

Moo Crew is a fun and engaging way for children to learn the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet and the importance of exercise – to “get moo-ving”.

The initiative is now in its fourth year and over 5,000 children from 900 primary schools nationwide took part in the programme in 2015.

Moo Crew offers learning supports for teachers which are linked to the curriculum including web-based resources such as an interactive food pyramid, video clips and games as well as lesson plans.

The lesson plans, available in English and as Gaeilge, help children to learn about dairy and farming and where food comes from.

This year the lesson plans have been expanded with a new module on the history of making cheese in Ireland, developed in consultation with Regina Sexton, Food and Culinary Historian at University College Cork.

The introduction of the additional lesson plan on the history of cheese making was welcomed by three-time Olympian Derval O’Rourke, who is an ambassador for Cheese Up Your Life! and a supporter of Moo Crew.

“We know from its success in previous years that children enjoy getting involved with Moo Crew.”

It helps us to work with children in an interactive way and to get kids thinking about how exercise fits into their daily lives; which interests me as a sprint hurdler and athlete.

“But learning about food as a source of nutrition and the ways to consume a healthy, balanced diet to support growth and health – these are really important life skills which help kids to make smart choices,” O’Rourke said.