Healthy Weight: Information for Childcare Providers

Most children attend some form of childcare before they are in kindergaren. Childcare providers can help children eat smart and move more! What happens in the childcare setting can shape young children’s eating and physical activity habits, and can help them stay at a healthy weight. Children often spend upwards of eight hours a day in the childcare setting. This means they get most of their physical activity while in childcare and they eat most of their meals and snacks there.

What you should do

Provide menus consistent with Dietary Guidelines

• Implement a nutrition policy that ensures foods served are in line with the Dietary Guidelines Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way toward Healthier Youth - Institute of Medicine;
• Try these tools for menu planning for childcare professionals;
• Apply for Child and Adult Care Food Program for federal funding assistance to serve healthy meals and snacks.

Provide opportunities for adequate physical activity

• Implement Physical Activity Standards for your site;
• Implement SPARK Early Childhood Physical Activity Curriculum and Training;
• Increase daily moderate to vigorous physical activity through the Head Start "I am moving I am learning Project"