Open Arms Family Child Care in Clinton is Let’s Go!’s newest Featured Child Care Program!
Authored by Emily Cooke
Megan Miklos, owner and director of Open Arms Family Child Care in Clinton Maine, is excited about how 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care is helping her create an even healthier environment for the children she cares for. Below, she reports some of the ways she has been adopting the following four Let’s Go! Strategies into her program day:
#1. Provide healthy choices for snacks and celebrations; limit unhealthy choices.
#2. Provide water and low fat milk; limit or eliminate sugary beverages.
#3. Provide non-food rewards.
#8. Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and active living.
As you read her report below, are you able to identify how she is working on each of these strategies?
“I am quite excited to put health and fitness into my program more. In a recent newsletter I mentioned for everyone to bring water bottles for drinking water and I have already had parents bring them in. I am also doing a chart with all the children’s names on it with a column for fruits and vegetables served at meals and snacks. When a child takes three bites of a fruit or veggie they get to put a sticker by their name and the fruit/veggie they tried or ate. So far it is working! The children that have never tried fruits and veggies before now are, which is exciting! I have been giving seconds of fruit to a child who never would put it in his mouth before. The chart is also an eye opener for parents to see what their children eat for fruits/veggies and I encourage them to go home and eat the same.”
Way to go Megan! You are a champion for children’s health. The little ones you care for (and their families) will benefit from the healthy habits you are teaching them for a lifetime!! Learn more about Open Arms on their Facebook page.
Indicates a Let’s Go! Priority Strategy.