5-2-1-0 Goes Out-of-School

Why Out-of-School?
Out-of-school programs have a long history of providing safe and healthy places for diverse groups of children to learn and grow during a critical point in their development. They provide structure, role modeling, knowledge, and motivation, as well as a strong connection to parents and community. Out-of-school programs serve youth at a time of day when they are more likely to be inactive and consume less healthy foods. Programs can also serve as a bridge between what children learn at school and the important decisions parents make around physical activity and nutrition at home. This makes out of school programs an ideal location to provide and promote opportunities for increased physical activity and healthy eating, and in turn, positively influence children’s physical, social, emotional, and academic growth!

What We Do
Let’s Go!’s 5-2-1-0 Goes Out-of-School program provides participating sites with a toolkit, online resources, and technical assistance to help guide them in successfully supporting increased physical activity and healthy eating for children and youth.

Watch this 8 minute video for more insight on how Let’s Go! partners with out-of-school programs.

Out-of-school programs come in many different shapes and sizes: there are school based programs, drop-in centers for teens, free-standing organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCA’s, and more. Each program has its own structure, resources, and location, creating a unique set of challenges for each when it comes to successfully supporting increased physical activity and healthy eating. For this reason, we’ve designed the 5-2-1-0 Goes Out-of-School program to be flexible, allowing different programs to tailor a plan for success specific to their needs.

To address the policies, practices, and environments that influence healthy lifestyle behaviors, out-of-school programs can use our 10 Strategies for Success:

1. Limit unhealthy choices for snacks and celebrations; provide healthy choices.
2. Limit or eliminate sugary drinks; provide water.
3. Prohibit the use of food as a reward.
4. Provide opportunities to get physical activity every day.
5. Limit recreational screen time.
6. Participate in local, state, and national initiatives that promote healthy eating and active living.
7. Engage community partners to help support and promote healthy eating and active living at your site.
8. Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and active living.
9. Implement a staff wellness program that includes healthy eating and active living.
10. Collaborate with Food and Nutrition Programs to offer healthy food and beverage options.

For more information about 5210 Goes Out-of-School or to register for the program, contact your local Let’s Go! Coordinator.