Nutrition and Physical Activity: Child Care Programs

Child care providers and teachers play a key role in helping young children establish healthy eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime. The following nutrition and physical activity services and resources can help you put children on a path to a healthy life.

Regulations and Best Practices at Child Care Centers

• Nutrition and Physical Activity Regulations in Child Care Centers (PDF): This document provides an overview of the Article 47 nutrition and physical activity regulations for child care centers in NYC.


• While at the child care center, children should receive meals and snacks that are healthy and well-balanced. Support parents and caregivers in developing healthy eating habits for their child by sharing resources and information with them.
  • Visit the Nutrition Tips page for recipes.
  • The USDA has information and handouts on healthy eating for preschoolers available at USDA MyPlate Nutrition Information for Preschoolers.


• Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity in Child Care Settings (PDF): This toolkit provides child care centers with promotional materials to support the development of healthy habits. Materials include:
  
  • Posters about nutrition and physical activity for children ages 0-5 years.
  • Information sheets relevant to each poster topic.
  • Ideas for promoting the messages in the child care center.
Other Languages (PDF): Español | 中文 | বাংলা | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어

Nutrition and Physical Activity Curricula

• Growing Healthy Children (PDF): Teachers of preschool-aged children can use this curriculum to teach nutrition lessons and cooking activities in the classroom and with adult caregivers.
  
  Visual Aids:
  • Adult Activity Cards (PDF)
  • Movement Cards (PDF)
  • Cooking Rules Posters (PDF)
  • Points-to-Cover Posters (PDF)
  • Food Picture Cards (PDF)


• Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings for Pre-K through 1st Grade (PDF): Teachers of pre-K through 1st grade can use this curriculum to teach hands-on nutrition lessons.


• Eating Healthy for Success (PDF): Pre-K, kindergarten and 1st grade teachers can use this curriculum to encourage the exploration of healthy foods while integrating New York State Next Generation learning standards. It consists of 35 fun lessons that can be taught throughout the school year.


• Move-to-Improve Early Childhood curriculum: Move-to-Improve Early Childhood curriculum offers a comprehensive and engaging way to help teachers integrate physical activity into all areas of classroom academics. It is designed to help child care centers and preschools reach the NYC Health Code-mandated 30 minutes of structured physical activity per day.
  • Early Childhood Lessons (Part One) (PDF)
  • Early Childhood Lessons (Part Two) (PDF)
  • Visual Aid Cards (PDF)

Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings

Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings is an education and policy, systems and environmental change intervention funded by the United States Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed). Child care centers that participate in the CACFP may be eligible to join. The intervention funds two programs:

• The Eat Well Play Hard Champion Initiative provides:
  • Hands-on classes for children and families.
  • Training, tool kits and technical assistance for staff to enhance and sustain a healthy center environment.
  • Mentoring for teachers to conduct nutrition education in the classroom.
• The Farm to Preschool Program provides:
  • Hands-on gardening opportunities for preschoolers alongside food and gardening education.
  • Cooking demonstrations featuring local produce for caregivers and community members.
  • Support with increasing access to locally grown produce for families and staff as well as center menus.

Parent resources are available from the Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings intervention to support nutrition programming at your center. These tipsheets include information on how to help preschoolers eat healthy and move more.

For more information, including how to find out if your center is eligible for these programs, email ewph@health.nyc.gov.

Additional Resources

• NYC School Food
• USDA Farm to Preschool
• Farm to Early Care and Education
• Let's Move! Child Care
• Choose My Plate
• EatPlayGrow
• Team Nutrition Resources A-Z
• Grow It, Try It, Like It! Preschool Fun with Fruits and Vegetables

More information

• Nutrition Services
• Nutrition Education Resources
• Breastfeeding
• Children’s Oral Health
• Child Care Services in New York City
• Information for Child Care Operators
• Healthy Children/Healthy Schools
• Child Wellness