Preschool Wellness Resources for Child Care Providers and Families
American Academy of Pediatrics
The AAP Web site dedicated to the prevention of childhood overweight and obesity. The purpose of this
site is to bring awareness to the serious health problem of childhood overweight and obesity; empower
pediatricians and families to take action in their homes, offices and communities to prevent childhood
obesity; and to support pediatricians, families and community advocates in improving the health status
of those children who are already overweight and obese.
http://www.aap.org/obesity/index.html
Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
www.mdaap.org
My Pyramid-USDA
MyPyramid print materials for preschoolers, kids, and adults
http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/printmaterials.html
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit.html
Food and Nutrition for Preschoolers – USDA Food and Nutrition Service
This publication is a compilation of resources suitable for children. The resources are in a
variety of information formats: articles, pamphlets, books and full-text materials on the World
Wide Web.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_fun.pdf
Eat Smart Play Hard – USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Family Website
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle/
Obesity Web Resources- Maryland Cooperative Extension
http://extension.umd.edu/nutrition/efnep/Obesity.cfm
Charles County Extension Service
The mission of the Charles County Extension Service is to educate citizens so that they may
apply practical, research-based information to address critical issues in agriculture, food, natural
resources, youth and family.
http://charles.umd.edu/
Childhood Obesity in Maryland
http://fha.maryland.gov/cdp/co_home.cfm
5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!
Let’s Go! is a community-based initiative, developed in Maine, to promote healthy lifestyle choices for
children, youth and families. Resources for parents and child care providers who are interested in
increasing healthy eating and physical activity.
www.letsgo.org
We Can! National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
We Can! has resources for everyone, providing families and communities with a variety of materials,
tools, tracking sheets, training, and other information to encourage a healthy and physically active
lifestyle.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/tools-resources/index.htm
Preschool Wellness Resources for Child Care Providers
American Academy of Pediatrics
The AAP Web site dedicated to the prevention of childhood overweight and obesity. The purpose of this
site is to bring awareness to the serious health problem of childhood overweight and obesity; empower
pediatricians and families to take action in their homes, offices and communities to prevent childhood
obesity; and to support pediatricians, families and community advocates in improving the health status
of those children who are already overweight and obese.
http://www.aap.org/obesity/index.html
Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
www.mdaap.org
5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!
Let’s Go! is a community-based initiative, developed in Maine, to promote healthy lifestyle choices for
children, youth and families. The goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating for children and
youth - from birth to 18.
http://letsgo.org/resources/ChildCareToolkit.php?id=greenChildcare&vid=r22
Grow It Try It Like It Toolkit – USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Grow It, Try It, Like It! Preschool Fun with Fruits and Vegetables is a garden-themed nutrition education
kit for child care center staff that introduces children to: three fruits - peaches, strawberries, and
cantaloupe, and three vegetables - spinach, sweet potatoes, and crookneck squash.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book1.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book2.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book3.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book4.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book5.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book6.pdf
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_book7.pdf
Eat Smart Play Hard – USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Eat Smart Play Hard Print Materials
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/eatsmartmaterials.html
My Pyramid-USDA
MyPyramid print materials for preschoolers, kids, and adults
http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/printmaterials.html
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit.html
Food and Nutrition for Preschoolers – USDA Food and Nutrition Service
This publication is a compilation of resources suitable for children. The resources are in a
variety of information formats: articles, pamphlets, books and full-text materials on the World
Wide Web.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/growit_fun.pdf
Obesity Web Resources- Maryland Cooperative Extension
http://extension.umd.edu/nutrition/efnep/Obesity.cfm
Charles County Extension Service
The mission of the Charles County Extension Service is to educate citizens so that they may
apply practical, research-based information to address critical issues in agriculture, food, natural
resources, youth and family.
http://charles.umd.edu/
Childhood Obesity in Maryland
http://fha.maryland.gov/cdp/co_home.cfm
School Backpack Resources
The School Nutrition Foundation has created “Backpack Brochures" to put nutrition education and
information about school meals in the hands of parents - the most important role models in developing
a child's healthy eating habits. School Nutrition Association members have been ordering these
brochures by the hundreds, paying only shipping and handling costs, and distributing them to their
students to bring home - in their backpacks. They contain up-to-date information on school meals,
nutrition, favorite school recipes, wellness tips and nutrition resources for parents.
http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=464
Wellness Policy Resources
The Policy Opportunities Tool is designed to showcase the various policy strategies that support healthy
active living for children and families. This tool is designed for healthcare professionals who have
experience in advocacy and are interested in focusing their advocacy efforts on obesity prevention
http://www.aap.org/obesity/matrix_1.html
Action for Healthy Kids
A national nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the epidemic of overweight, undernourished
and sedentary youth by focusing on changes in schools. At work in all 50 states and the District of
Columbia to improve children's nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their
readiness to learn.
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/school-programs/our-programs/wellness-policy-tool/
MSDE Division of Early Childhood Development
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/
MSDE Office of Child Care
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/child_care.htm
Child Nutrition Programs
MSDE Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement for meals and snacks served in
licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes.
http://www.eatsmartmaryland.org
Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care – NAP SACC
The Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) program is a researchtested intervention designed to enhance policies, practices, and environments in child care by improving
nutritional quality of food served, amount and quality of physical activity, staff-child interactions, facility
nutrition and physical activity policies and practices and related environmental characteristics
http://www.centertrt.org/index.cfm?fa=opinterventions.intervention&intervention=napsacc&page=intent