Creative Movement for Cold Weather

Like Olaf from Frozen sang, “Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle,” but that can’t be all we do during the cold-weather months! It’s important to stay active year-round, but some days it’s just not possible to bundle everyone up, load the kids into the car, and drive 20 minutes to a gym … Read More


National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! Children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, including aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening exercise. Regular physical activity can improve muscle, bone, and heart health, especially for growing children.¹ It can be difficult to meet physical activity recommendations, for both children and adults. Start with small … Read More


Every Kid Healthy Week

Did you know that one in three children in the U.S. are overweight or obese? Every Kid Healthy Week celebrates schools’ efforts to promote health and wellness. This year, Every Kid Healthy Week is April 23-27. This is a great opportunity for you to encourage your children to Move More! Here are some ways you … Read More


Butterfly Snacks

Fill a re-sealable snack bag with two healthy treats (one on each side). Pinch the middle with a clothespin. You can decorate the clothespin to look like a butterfly with markers and twist ties. Try grapes, cheese cubes, baby carrots, celery, pretzels, oat cereal, dried cranberries, almonds and more! … Read More


What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?

Age-appropriate active games are a great way to help children grow and develop. They can challenge their mind while also challenging their physical fitness! One game your older preschooler or younger school-aged child can play with their friends is “What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?” To play, your child will need at least 2 other … Read More


National Walking Day

Did you know the first Wednesday of April is National Walking Day? This year, National Walking Day is on April 4. With spring upon us and the weather warming up, this is the perfect time to get back outside and walk! Walking is a great activity for children because they can do it with friends … Read More


Do You See What I See?

Regular exercise is essential to children’s physical development, but it’s also important to be mindful of their cognitive development. There are different developmental milestones children reach at different ages. These milestones are categorized into different types of development: Social/emotional Language/communication Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) Movement/physical Games can be a great way to help your child … Read More


Make Up a Story and Act it Out

Imagination is an important part of childhood development. As children imagine new possibilities, they learn to think outside the box and solve problems in unique ways. This kind of thinking is critical to their cognitive development. While some adults struggle with creative thinking, children usually don’t! Children often have wild and active imaginations, so why … Read More


Protein Power Moves

Physical activity doesn’t always have to be an organized sport. While organized sports are fun for the whole family to play, sometimes the weather may be unfavorable or you may not have enough people for a game. When you don’t have time or convenient access to the equipment needed to play a structured activity, try activities … Read More


Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a children’s game that has lasted through the generations–and for good reason! No equipment is required and children enjoy making their own hopscotch spaces using sidewalk chalk. It’s also a great game for preschoolers to practice their motor skills by learning to control their movement while hopping on one foot. To play hopscotch, … Read More


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Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

North Carolina State University
Agricultural and Human Sciences Department

Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES)