Health in Early Education

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Course Text:

• Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed.)
• • Chapter 7, “Protecting Good Nutrition in Early Childhood Education Environments” (pp. 254−289)
  • Chapter 9, “Menu Planning and Food Safety in Early Childhood Education Environments” (pp. 344–368)

Articles:

• Goodway, J. D., & Robinson, L. E. (2006, March). SKIPing toward an active start: Promoting physical activity in preschoolers. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/GoodwayBTJ.pdf
• Schilling, T., & McOmber, K. A. (2006, May). Tots in action on and beyond the playground. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from the Walden Library using this link:http://auth.waldenulibrary.org/ezpws.exe?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1038789361&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD
• National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2006, May). Active start: Physical activity guidelines for children birth to five years. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/NASPEGuidelinesBTJ.pdf
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, November). Childhood overweight and obesity. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (2002). How to manage life-threatening food allergies in schools. Retrieved February 2, 2009, from http://www.asthmaandallergies.org/Articles/managing%20life-threatening%20food%20allergies%20in%20child%20care_files/How%20to%20Manage%20Life-Threatening%20Food%20Allergies%20in%20Schools.htm
  Used by permission of the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, New England Chapter. www.asthmaandallergies.org

Optional Resources

Articles:

• National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2006, May). Resources for encouraging good nutrition and physical fitness. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/ResourcesBTJ.pdf

• New York State Department of Health. (2006, April). Preventing childhood obesity: Tips for child care professionals. Retrieved fromhttp://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/resources/obchcare.htm

Web Sites:

• USDA Healthy Meals Resource System: Nutrition Education
  http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/resource-library/nutrition-education/a>
• Obesity Prevention Center for Children and Youth, Inc.
  http://www.opccy.org/
•  
• Course Project: Creating a Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition Blog

• This week, you will complete the fifth section of your course project by developing the final section on the importance of physical fitness and exercise.

  Section 5: Physical Fitness

  As you have been learning, your knowledge about the nutritional and fitness needs of children will have the greatest impact when you can share this knowledge in order to help children and their families grow in awareness of and commitment to healthy behaviors and lifestyles. For your blog section this week, prepare a 2-page fact sheet to inform both early childhood professionals and families about the essential aspects of physical fitness for preschool-age children. Use the following guidelines:

  Write an introductory paragraph or at least five bullet points that explain why physical fitness is so important for young children. Include at least three developmental skills that children are learning at this age, and describe how physical activities can help children toward mastery of these skills. Be sure to cite evidence from the learning resources or, if desired, use other resources to support your claims.

  • Explain what can happen when children do not engage in healthy fitness activities. Be sure to consider the impact on children of being overweight or obese, including implications for health and self-esteem.
  • Indicate how adults can help children develop good fitness habits. Describe at least two activities, such as specific games or movements, which are appropriate and enjoyable for children of this age. At least one of the activities should involve gross-motor (locomotor) skills, and another should involve fine-motor (manipulative) skills. Remember, the activities you recommend should be developmentally appropriate, which includes noncompetitive.
  • Based on your readings, include at least one inspirational, thought-provoking quote that captures your attitude and/or philosophy about fostering children’s healthy growth and development.
  • For your fact sheet, draw on the information in the fitness articles from this week’s Required Resources and your own research to provide evidence about the positive impact that physical activity has on children’s health, both now and in the future. Be sure to cite your sources.

  Assignment length: 2 pages