Healthy Eating & Physical Activity

Lil’ Bears is committed to helping raise a healthier generation of children.  Strategies for healthy eating and physical activity:

• We limit unhealthy choices for snacks

• We have eliminated sugary drinks.

• We prohibit the use of food as a reward.

• We provide opportunities for physical activity every day.

• We limit recreational screen time.

Drinking water is always visible and freely available to children, both indoors and outdoors.

Mealtimes

• Provider and children eat meals together, family style, so that children can learn and practice table skills.

• Provider talks with children during mealtimes about healthy habits and healthy foods and check-in with them about hunger and fullness.

• Provider never forces or bribes children to eat any foods or to clean their plates.​

Celebrations

We think healthy treats can be just as fun as cookies and cake.  As such, we ask that you provide only healthy treats or non-food items if you choose to contribute to celebrations at childcare.  Healthy treats include fruit salad or veggies with dip.  Some ideas for non-food items are stickers, bubbles, or chalk.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

We follow the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) that was established to improve the health of children in childcare facilities both by improving the nutritional quality of meals and by promoting healthy eating.

Weekly menus always include a variety of healthy foods. 

To qualify, meals must include the following nutritional components:

Breakfast

• Milk

• Fruit or Vegetable

• Grain

Lunch

• Milk

• Meat or meat alternate

• Fruit

• Vegetable

• Grain

Snacks
At least 2 of the 5 components

• Milk

• Meat or alternate

• Fruit

• Vegetable

• Grain

It is the policy of Lil’ Bears that food brought in by children or prepared by the facility are:

• safely stored in refrigerators or on shelves

• all food is stored, prepared, and served in a sanitary manner

• refrigerator temperature does not exceed 41° F 

• freezer temperature does not exceed 0° F

• there are thermometers in both the refrigerator and freezer to monitor temperature

• all milk products are pasteurized

• all fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly before use

• all cooked foods are cooked to proper temperatures

• at least one whole grain is served per day

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Nutrition Education

• Provider participate in yearly training on nutrition topics.

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Physical Activity

Children attending Lil’ Bears Childcare play outdoors daily when weather conditions do not pose a significant health risk (20°F or below/90°F or above).  Activities include structured play (led by an adult) and free play (not led by an adult).  In the event of inclement weather, structured physical activity will be provided indoors (dance, yoga, physical games).  Staff participates in physical activities to encourage child participation.  Physical activity is never withheld as a form of punishment.

• Toddlers participate in 60-90 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.  Preschoolers participate in 90-120 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

• Children must be dressed appropriately for the weather, including wearing appropriate seasonal clothing and footwear, so they can participate fully, move freely, and play safely.

  • Snow:  heavy coat, snow pants, winter boots, hat and mittens

  • Rain:  raincoat and waterproof boots

  • Different temperatures during the day:  layers of clothing

• Footwear should provide support for running and climbing, such as sneakers.

  •  Please provide water friendly footwear during Summer and early Fall. We will be using a sprinkler and other possible water activities.  ​

• Inappropriate clothing and footwear include footwear that can come off while running (flip-flops), clothing that can catch on playground equipment (drawstrings) and clothing that does not protect children from current weather conditions.

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Screen-Time Reduction

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It is the intent of Lil’ Bears Childcare to provide your child with many opportunities to investigate the world around them with concrete, hands-on learning activities.  We feel that recreational TV and digital media time should be limited to no more than 30 minutes per week with the exception of “movement breaks” (child exercise on YouTube) at childcare.