Childhood


Strategies for Childhood

Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that promote nutrition and physical activity in Early Care and Education Systems.

Activity Description
Empower Policy Support Empower policy change at ECE, regional, and/or state levels.
Learning Collaborative Participate in learning collaboratives, coalitions and councils to build communities of practice
Staff Development Assist a program or facility to increase staff knowledge, abilities, skills, and improve practices.
ECE-Based Agriculture Train partners to implement and sustain gardens and/or support local food procurement and implementation.
Nutrition & Feeding Practices Support improvements in ECE nutrition practices & environments consistent with Empower Standards, including breastfeeding.
PA Environment Support improvements in ECE PA environments & practices consistent with Empower Standards (e.g. painted playgrounds)
Community Coordination Support ECEs to increase programs & resources that meet an identified need (e.g. food security resources - SNAP Outreach, backpack programs, food pantries)
Community Engagement Engage residents in SNAP-Ed eligible communities in the process and planning using consulting, involving, and collaborating techniques.

Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that promote nutrition and physical activity in schools and other youth-based systems.

Activity Description
Policy Revision and Communication Support written Local Wellness Policy (LWP) and/or Empower review, revision, dissemination & (two-way) communication with school stakeholders
Wellness Committees Support District and School-Level school wellness committiees, including recruitment, formation and participation.
Staff Development Provide school staff with Train the Trainer on evidence-based curricula and resources to support policy implementation and encourge students' healthy behaviors.
School/Youth-Based Agriculture Train partners to impliment and sustain gardens and or support local food procurment and implimenation.
Nutrition Practices and Environment Support improvements in nutrition practices and environments, including the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement (SLM), School Meal Programs and Out-of-School Time (OOST) consistant with Empower.
Physical Activity Practices and Environment Support improvements in PA practices and environments by employing the tenents of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) eg: active transportation, active recess, adequate Physical Education opportunities, classroom brain breaks.)
Community Coordination Support School and other youth-based programs and resources that meet an identified need eg: food security - SNAP Outreach, backpack programs and food pantries.
Community Engagement Engage residents in SNAP-Ed eligible communities in the process and planning using consulting, involving and collaborating techniques.

Tools for Childhood

Displaying the most recent 41 of 62 total tools.

Early Learning Standards

Posted on February 25, 2016

The Arizona Early Learning Standards have been developed to provide a framework for the planning of quality learning experiences for all children three to five years of age. The standards cover a broad range of skill development and provide a useful instructional foundation for children from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities. The standards are intended for use by all those who work with young children in any early care and education setting in urban, rural and tribal communities.
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Division of Responsibility in Feeding:

Posted on February 25, 2016

Children develop eating competence step-by-step throughout the growing-up years when they are fed according to a stage-appropriate division of responsibility. At every stage, parents take leadership with feeding and let the child be self-directed with eating.


Ellyn Satter Institute (ESI) – Division of Responsibility in Feeding:

Posted on February 25, 2016

Children develop eating competence step-by-step throughout the growing-up years when they are fed according to a stage-appropriate division of responsibility. At every stage, parents take leadership with feeding and let the child be self-directed with eating.


Ellyn Satter Institute (ESI) – Division of Responsibility with Activity:

Posted on February 25, 2016

Children are born loving their bodies, curious about them and inclined to be active. Parents provide structure, safety, and opportunities. Children choose how much and whether to move and the manner of moving.


Ellyn Satter Institute (ESI) – Division of Responsibility with Activity:

Posted on February 25, 2016

Children are born loving their bodies, curious about them and inclined to be active. Parents provide structure, safety, and opportunities. Children choose how much and whether to move and the manner of moving.


Ellyn Satter Institute (ESI) – What Your Baby Can Do and How and What to Feed Them

Posted on February 25, 2016

This handout will help guide participants in making feeding decisions for their child.


Active School Neighborhood Checklist

Posted on February 25, 2016

This assessment tool will help communities, school-siting professionals, schools, and city officials identify barriers that prevent students from walking and biking to and from school each day and create solutions to encourage neighborhoods to be more physically active.


The Empower Guidebook, 3rd Edition. Ten Ways to Empower Children to Live Healthy Lives.

Posted on February 25, 2016

ECE providers are in a special position to empower young children to learn habits that can keep them healthy for life. ADHS developed the Empower Program in 2010 as a voluntary program to support licensed ECE facilities’ efforts to empower young children to grow up healthy and is based on 10 program standards.


Addressing Sugary Drinks through the Local School Wellness Policy

Posted on February 25, 2016

This fact sheet discusses how school districts can use their school wellness policies to reduce sugary drink consumption. It includes information on what beverages schools can sell to students, the importance of addressing sugary drinks in local school wellness policies, and optional sugary drink policy elements that school districts can include in their local school wellness policy. While this ChangeLab Solutions’ resource was designed for California communities, information contained within the factsheet can be adapted for use in other states as well.


Increasing Access to Drinking Water and Other Healthier Beverages in ECE Settings

Posted on February 25, 2016

The purpose of this guide is to explain why your ECE center or family child care home should serve water to children under your care, and to give you information on how to do it. It also describes how providing water fits in with serving other beverages.


Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP): A guide for Schools

Posted on February 25, 2016

CSPAP is a multi-component approach by which school districts and schools use all opportunities for students to be physically active, meet the nationally-recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime


Infant/Toddler Development Guidelines

Posted on February 25, 2016

These guidelines describe expectations about what infants and toddlers should know (understand) and do (competencies and skills) across multiple domains of development during specific age ranges, as well as what adults can do to support children’s optimal learning and development.
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Development of Physical Activity Policy

Posted on February 25, 2016

This worksheet provides a guide for school boards, superintendents, district staff and others to develop and review board policies and administrative regulations related to physical activity.


Nemours Child Care Wellness Policy Workbook: Creating an Environment for Preschools to Develop Healthy Habits for Life

Posted on February 25, 2016

This workbook serves to help child care providers, families, and communities work together to raise fit, happy children. Child care providers and other early childhood professionals can use this workbook to develop their own individualized wellness policies.


Healthy School Celebrations

Posted on February 25, 2016

Good nutrition and the value of healthy food choices are often taught in the classroom. However, many times foods served in the classroom, in the case of a class party or rewards for behavior, are low in nutrients and high in calories. This sends students a mixed message – that good nutrition is just a part of their education and is not important to their health. To send the right message and to keep our children healthy, teachers, staff, and parents can work together to offer healthy classroom party alternatives.


Tummy Time: Five Moves for Baby’s First Workout

Posted on February 25, 2016

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A Clear Call for Healthy Snacks at School

Posted on December 9, 2015

Many children consume up to half of their daily calories at school, so it is essential to make sure they have healthy snacks and drinks available, in addition to healthier meals.


Caring for Our Children. National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs. 3rd Edition.

Posted on December 31, 1969

Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edition (CFOC3) is a collection of 686 national standards that represent the best evidence, expertise, and experience in the country on quality health and safety practices and policies that should be followed in today's early care and education settings.
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Nemours Best Practices for Healthy Eating

Posted on December 31, 1969

This guide is intended to serve as a practical tool for implementing feeding best practices for optimal nutrition in early care and education settings. Those who work in child care centers, schools, community organizations or primary health care practices play an important part in supporting children’s development of healthy habits, both by providing nutritious food and by teaching children how to make healthy food choices. Children who learn these habits when they’re young are more likely to continue making healthy choices in adulthood. By sharing information with families and early care and education providers, you can work with them as partners to support healthy children.


Nemours Best Practices for Physical Activity

Posted on December 31, 1969

Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS) created these physical activity guidelines to help promote and support quality physical activity for children and youth. Those who work in child care centers, schools, community organizations or primary health care practices have powerful opportunities to ensure children have access to health-promoting physical activity on a daily basis. Equipped with information about best practices, parents, family members and neighbors can serve as important advocates to ensure that physical activity becomes a regular and enjoyable part of daily life for children.

Key Contacts for Childhood

Melisha Bryant

Melisha Bryant

Early Childhood Specialist
Kathryn Faull

Kathryn Faull

School System Specialist