Physical Activity Education
It is not only important be physically active but also to educate the children, staff and parents why physical activity is important so that they can make healthy choices on their own and as they grow. Below you will find resources that can help you provide physical activity education to you, your staff, and the children you care for and their families.
Best Practices
Select the best practice to find resources that can help you reach that best practice.
- “Offer physical activity information to parents 2 times per year or more.”
- “Offer planned physical activity education opportunities (motor skill development) for children 1 time per week or more.”
- “Provide training opportunities on physical activity (not including playground safety) for caregivers 2 times per year or more.”
“Offer physical activity information to parents 2 times per year or more.”
Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit
Summary: A garden-themed nutrition education kit that introduces children to: three fruits and three vegetables. It contains seven booklets with fun activities through an imaginary garden. Each set of lessons contains: hands-on activities, planting activities, and nutrition education activities that introduce MyPlate. You can download this kit for free or follow the Resource Order Form to order a hard copy.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-try-it-it
Nibbles for Health Newsletter: Child’s Play
Summary: Newsletter providing information about benefits and tips for active play.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_36.pdf
Nibbles for Health Newsletter: Let’s Move…Cold Weather Fun
Summary: Newsletter providing information about ways to promote active play in outside in winter and indoors.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_37.pdf
Nibbles for Health Newsletter: Let’s Move…Warm Weather Fun
Summary: Newsletter providing information about ways to promote active play outdoors in warm weather.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_38.pdf
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manual
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Pennington Nutrition Series: Physical Activity Guidelines for Children
Summary: Guidelines on physical activity for children and some research and facts about the physical activity.
Source: Louisiana State University Ag Center Research and Extension-Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Access: http://www.pbrc.edu/pdf/PNS-physicalactivity.pdf
Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children
Summary: This site has snack and physical activity cards that can be printed off and used in daycare to promote dietary guidelines along with physical activity. Physical Activity cards start at card #19.
Source: Team Nutrition Iowa-Iowa Department of Education-Bureau of Food and Nutrition
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Iowa/nutritionbag/activities_snacks_cards.pdf
Sesame Street: Healthy Habits for Life
Summary: Activities for providers, kids, and families, some of which focus on nutrition and physical activity.
Source: Sesame Workshop
Access: http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/healthyhabits#
“Offer planned physical activity education opportunities (motor skill development) for children 1 time per week or more.”
Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit
Summary: A garden-themed nutrition education kit that introduces children to: three fruits and three vegetables. It contains seven booklets with fun activities through an imaginary garden. Each set of lessons contains: hands-on activities, planting activities, and nutrition education activities that introduce MyPlate. You can download this kit for free or follow the Resource Order Form to order a hard copy.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-try-it-it
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manual
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 63-68.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
Pennington Nutrition Series: Physical Activity Guidelines for Children
Summary: Guidelines on physical activity for children and some research and facts about the physical activity.
Source: Louisiana State University Ag Center Research and Extension-Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Access: http://www.pbrc.edu/pdf/PNS-physicalactivity.pdf
Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children
Summary: This site has snack and physical activity cards that can be printed off and used in daycare to promote dietary guidelines along with physical activity. Physical Activity cards start at card #19.
Source: Team Nutrition Iowa-Iowa Department of Education-Bureau of Food and Nutrition
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Iowa/nutritionbag/activities_snacks_cards.pdf
Sesame Street: Healthy Habits for Life
Summary: Activities for providers, kids, and families, some of which focus on nutrition and physical activity.
Source: Sesame Workshop
Access: http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/healthyhabits#
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary :This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a pdf from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: https://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-3-Ring-Food-Circus.pdf
“Provide training opportunities on physical activity (not including playground safety) for caregivers 2 times per year or more.”
Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit
Summary: A garden-themed nutrition education kit that introduces children to: three fruits and three vegetables. It contains seven booklets with fun activities through an imaginary garden. Each set of lessons contains: hands-on activities, planting activities, and nutrition education activities that introduce MyPlate. You can download this kit for free or follow the Resource Order Form to order a hard copy.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-try-it-it
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manual
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 63-68.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
Pennington Nutrition Series: Physical Activity Guidelines for Children
Summary: Guidelines on physical activity for children and some research and facts about the physical activity.
Source: Louisiana State University Ag Center Research and Extension-Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Access: http://www.pbrc.edu/pdf/PNS-physicalactivity.pdf
Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children
Summary: This site has snack and physical activity cards that can be printed off and used in daycare to promote dietary guidelines along with physical activity. Physical Activity cards start at card #19.
Source: Team Nutrition Iowa-Iowa Department of Education-Bureau of Food and Nutrition
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Iowa/nutritionbag/activities_snacks_cards.pdf
Sesame Street: Healthy Habits for Life
Summary: Activities for providers, kids, and families, some of which focus on nutrition and physical activity.
Source: Sesame Workshop
Access: http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/healthyhabits#
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary :This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a pdf from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: https://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-3-Ring-Food-Circus.pdf
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