Nutrition education for students and caregivers: One option is available for preschool-aged youth, and one is available for the student and parent/caregiver to learn together.

• Color Me Healthy is a nutrition and physical activity program for preschool-aged youth. Lessons are between 20-30 minutes in length. If Color Me Healthy is provided, a program for parents/caregivers must also be offered at least once per quarter.
• EatPlayGrowTM is a curriculum for preschool-aged youth and their parents/caregivers together. Lessons are taught using fun and interactive games, art projects, stories, and movement to help learn the importance of healthy eating and physical activity together.

Nutrition education for parents/caregivers: Three curricula options are available. Our team members can help you determine the right curriculum for your location and audience.

• Healthy Cents is a curriculum for adults designed to teach how to save more money while making healthy food choices. Each lesson provides a connection to food budgeting along with the nutrition topic. One example is a lesson on starting a container garden for vegetables and herbs.
• MyPlate for My Family is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and designed for adults who are parents or caregivers to youth ages 2 to 18.
• Create Better Health is a curriculum designed to teach adults how to use foods on hand to make nourishing meals. Topics include food budgeting, nutrition, physical activity, and cooking demonstrations.

Staff professional development: SNAP-Ed team members can provide professional development opportunities and continuing education credentials to your early childhood education staff on a variety of topics. Contact us for more information. Illinois Extension is an approved Gateways provider. 

Topics may include:

• Family and community engagement
• Staff wellness
• Motivated by movement
• Healthy eating starts with positive role models
• Choosy eaters can be healthy eaters
• Gardening in early childcare centers
• Promoting nutrition and physical activity
• Healthy beverage choices
• Nutrition security and food resources

The early childhood education assessment tool used by Illinois SNAP-Ed is Go NAP SACC. The Go Nutrition and Physical Activity–Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAP SACC) is an evidence-based and online tool developed at University of North Carolina used by Illinois SNAP-Education. The goal of the tool is to improve the nutrition and physical activity environment, polices, and practices at ECE sites to improve childhood obesity. Go NAPSACC is used in Illinois in partnership with INCRAA and the Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition program (ISPAN).

Illinois SNAP-Ed may provide other supports to early childhood education locations as part of our partnership. Technical assistance provided may include:

• Assist with nutrition, physical activity and wellness policies
• Provide strategies to role model healthy behaviors to children in your care
• Identify best practices for nutrition and physical activity promoting environments
• Assist with menu planning
• Provide healthy messaging to use within your early childhood education site
• Connect you with community resources
• Serve on parent wellness advisory committees or quality enrichment circles
• Assist with writing grants to purchase equipment and fund strategies