WOWS E-Newsletter 10-21-09

Welcome to Wednesday WOWS!
W-wonderful O-opportunities W-with S-schools

October 21, 2009

....Easy HEAR-SEE-DO action tips each week

HEAR .... Provide a message to increase awareness of knowledge/skills
SEE .... Show people HOW to make healthy changes
DO .... Help people practice and make healthy changes

Health Comes LEAPING Off the Page! 

HEAR

We recognize the key role reading plays in providing valuable learning and life experiences for all ages. Reading healthy food or physical activity themed books to young kids can help motivate long lasting health behaviors.

Reading aloud to young children is so critical that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that doctors prescribe reading activities along with other advice given to parents at regular check-ups.

SEE

• Kansas Center for the Book at the State Library of Kansas promotes the importance of reading to preschoolers and other youth. Check out these tips and ideas for reading to young children, including get up and MOVE ideas!
  
  
• Reading is Fundamental offers great ideas to encourage good reading habits.
   
• Michigan TEAM Nutrition Pre-school Booklist is a recommended listing of 250 books for young kids with food, nutrition and physical activity messages.
  

DO

1. Make reading with kids an Active Play experience. Act out the book together as you read. Take time to let kids have different interpretations of the characters and the happenings in the book.
    
2. Reading can offer an opportunity for tasting new foods and learning about healthy snacks. Taste blueberries while reading "Blueberries for Sal" or fruit muffins while reading "If You Give a Moose a Muffin".
    
3. Purchase HKC's Berry, Berry Good booklet and wall poster. Connect color, shape, number, and letter with fruit and veggie messages, healthy eating and movement. 

Cut and paste a HEAR-SEE-DO tip each week into your own parent newsletters!

Tips for Reading with your Kids
Parents who read to and with their kids role model this important skill and habit. Use these tips below to reinforce and make reading a fun experience!

• Spending time with your preschool kids talking, telling stories and singing songs helps get them ready for reading.
• Continue to read out loud to your older kids. Have a special week night that is spent reading to the family.

Toyota TAPESTRY Science Teacher's Grants
Deadline: January 18, 2010 
A partnership between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National Science Teachers Association, the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program offers grants to K–12 science teachers for innovative projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school district. Fifty large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants, totaling $550,000 in all, will be awarded this year.

For questions about Healthy Kids Challenge, please contact:
Vickie L. James, RD, LD, Director
vickie@healthykidschallenge.com
1-888-259-6287
www.healthykidschallenge.com

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