Resources & Links

Shapedown is a nationally recognized weight loss program for children and adolescents.

Shapedown is a family based child and adolescent weight program developed at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. It has been recognized as an exemplary medical program by the American Medical Association.

Camp Shapedown at Pipestem Resort

Weekly Day Camp on the campus of WVU with focus on healthy FUN! Activities include swimming, games,roller blading, hiking, nutrition, crafts and many other activities conducted on and off-campus including fieldtrips. Parent volunteers welcome! For more information about getting these programs in your area, email info@choosykids.com

http://www.BeChoosy.org

RWJF's $500 Million Commitment To Reverse The Childhood Obesity Epidemic By 2015
LINK

Print Choosy's coloring pages and color them in!

Jumping Rope
In the Kitchen
Roller Blading
Curl Ups
Swimming
Kayaking
Choosy Music

NOTE: Coloring pages are provided in PDF (Adobe Reader) format. If you do not already have Adobe Reader, download it here.

Below you will find links to the lyrics to each song. These lyrics are in PDF format. A free PDF viewer is available at Adobe.com.




CHOOSY KIDS
1. Choosy Kids Club Theme
2. Like Choosy
3. Choosy Freeze
4. Choosy Says
5. Choosy Says (Instrumental)
9. High Five
10. Jump N Hop
11. Skipping
12. Bye Bye

THIS IS MY BODY
1. Crave your F.A.V.
2. Stir the Soup 1
3. Stir the Soup 2
5. Gallop
6. Slide
8. It's your Birthday
10. This is MY Body
11. Be Choosy Be Healthy
12. Celebrate

I'M MOVING, I'M LEARNING
1. I'm Moving I'm Learning
2. My Heart Says Thanks
3. Choosy Hears
4. Make Me Feel Great #1
5. Mix it all Up
7. Swing and Sway
8. Make Me Feel Great #2
9. I'm Learning to Move and Choose
10. Choosy Size Me

CHOOSY NATION
1. Choosy Cha Cha
3. Be Choosy Outside
5. Brush My Smile
6. I Move Myself #1
7. I Move Myself #2
9. When I Move My Parts
11. Choosy Nation
13. Empty Space Club
14. I'm The Boss
16. Oooh Ahhh
17. I Like To Move

Organization Name: Cabarrus County Schools Head Start
Name: Janet Purser
Head Start Director
Address:
Long School Head Start
310 Kerr St.
NW Concord, NC 28025
Phone: 704-784-3614 ext 128
Best Practice Entries:
*List of Activities
*Disc with sample pictures

To support Domain 8: Physical Health and Development, the Cabarrus County Schools Head Start Program at Long School completed the following activities:

• Activities Involving Children:

  • Pictures of students “making healthy choices” have been used on bulletin boards and posted on cafeteria walls.
  • Each classroom was given a tote bag with handouts, 2 CD’s, and green exercise bands at the initial kickoff. AN iron on of Choosy was put on the bags. All classrooms have been using the IMIL music, songs and talking about Choosy.
  • Each classroom has a Choosy poster.

• Activities Involving Staff:

  • August 2007- Staff Presentation/ Kick Off: The IMIL Team provided a presentation which included power point presentations and video clips provided by the Train the Trainer session in Atlanta. The IMIL team originally dressed that morning like Men in Black- looking for an alien named Choosy. A “healthy” lunch was provided for all staff, and presentations during the afternoon.
  • Movie - Super Size Me, was shown to teachers one of the first afternoons after return in August.
  • Health Coordinator is facilitating an exercise program for staff in January.
  • Health Coordinator is also incorporating information from IMIL to work with families of four of the most seriously obese children.

• Activities Involving Parents:

  • December 2007- Parent Presentation: The IMIL Team along with the Family Services Staff provided a parent presentation on IMIL. They participated in songs, movement activities, etc.
  • The Family Services Staff secured small “kitchen kits” for each family, provided by a grant to United Way and Thompson Child and Family Focus. Each family also received a folder of handouts about IMIL, healthy activity and nutrition. EFNEP also provided a 2008 Nutrition Calendar for each family.

• Activities Involving Community:

  • 1 member of IMIL team did a 2 hour training for their local Cabarrus Association for the Education of Young Children.
  • Put together a notebook with copies of all handouts, presentations, and CD’s with training music and videos.

Organization Name: Center For Community & Family Services, Inc. Head Start/ Early Head Start
Name: Nina Paddock
Nutrition Specialist
Address:
508 E. Mendocino St.
Altadena, CA 91001
Organization Email: www.ccafs.org
Email: nina.paddock@ccafs.org
Phone: 626-585-6510
Fax: 626-585-0133
Best Practice Entries:
*Master Calendar
*Monthly Staff Newsletter

CCFS Head Start & Early Head Start built a Master Calendar titled: Learning to Move, and Moving to Learn. This calendar was given to each staff member as well as community partners at the beginning of the program year, around the themes of Moving and Learning. An action word is chosen for each month. From this word they built a healthy habit that they wanted to promote with staff and the community. The action word takes on added significance in that it is the focus word that the monthly staff newsletter is built around. Their intention was that each month staff would be reminded and refocused on health through both the calendar and the newsletter.

The Moving and Learning Community Awareness Campaign states:
“The Center for Community and Family Services (CCFS) Head Start and Early Head Start serves 1,287 families in the Pasadena, Altadena, Glendale, South Pasadena and Sierra Madre. Our services include early childhood education, nutrition, health, mental health, disabilities, male involvement, family support and advocacy. We do this by pulling Federal, State and local resources together.

Childhood obesity, which has become a nationwide epidemic in the recent years, has impacted our communities greatly. CCFS Head Start and Early Head Start has risen to the challenge to improve the health and nutrition of our families. Our staff along with our partners will work closely with families to improve the amount of time and the quality of physical activity that we engage in on a daily basis. We work to improve the nutritional health of all people through the promotion of healthy food choices including increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

Our message is not a one time campaign, but a continual process of changing how we move and eat, so that we can become a healthier community. This message aligns with our Head Start and Early Head Start comprehensive services and supports the idea of Learning to Move, and Moving to Learn.”

Organization Name: Alger-Marquette Community Action Board
Name: Anita Carter
Address:
Alger County Office
N7278 Woodale Rd
Munising, MI 49862
Phone: 906-387-2243
Fax: 906-387-4034
Best Practice Entries: Power Point of General Implementation Plan

AMCAB has incorporated the IMIL philosophy at all levels with children, parents, staff, and community. Immediate outcomes: many are beginning to become more fit; music and movement are everywhere in classrooms and childcare partner’s sites. Examples of implementation include the development of their own healthy role model, and a “Move Me” campaign including children, parents, staff, and community.

Click here for more pictures

Organization Name: Campesinos Unidos, Inc. Head Start
Name: Olivia Cotero
Address:
C.U.I. Head Start
778 W. State Street
El Centro, CA 92243
Phone: 760-353-9226 ext 223
Best Practice Entries:
*IMIL Parent Calendar (September)
*IMIL Log
*Pictures
*2 Power Point Packets

Teaching staff were introduced to IMIL during in-service.
The IMIL DVD’s were used as part of the in-service training in combination with power points that were presented by the different areas which consisted of parent involvement, education, health/ mental health and disabilities. Ideas were provided to the teaching staff such as crafts that could be done at home; and extended as props for physical activities, nutritional activities that could be done at home to make healthy food choices, and promote good health practices.

Parents were introduced to IMIL during their first parent meeting.
They viewed parts of the Choosy DVD, and were provided with a handout, did some physical activities and received a copy of the first Bilingual IMIL Parent Calendar*. IMIL Parent Calendar provides parents with ideas of activities that could be done every day of the week with their children.

Time that is spent at home involved in an IMIL activity is written down in the IMIL log*. This log is turned in to the teaching staff which counts as in-kind contribution.
Handouts given to parents are written in English and Spanish!

Organization Name: Bradford-Tioga Head Start Wellsboro AM Center
Name: Mary Wickman
Address:
29 East Ave.
Wellsboro, PA 16901
Work Phone: 570-724-5290
Home Phone: 570-638-3488
Best Practice Entries:
*CHOOSY Book
*Pictures of classroom implementation
*Choosy necklace

*CHOOSY Book- this book is kept in the reading area daily.

*Word Wall - IMIL words are included on this wall with a green and purple background
and a Choosy picture, so the children know these words are related to CHOOSY. IMIL words were also included in their Homemade Alphabet book and Alphabet bags.

*IMIL Parent resource bulletin board - stays up all year.

*Life size CHOOSY- located at circle time area (also gross motor area).

*Body books from scholastic- helps the children to understand why IMIL is so
important and why CHOOSY wants them to be healthy.

*Barney song recreated to fit IMIL.

*The children wearing their CHOOSY hats and necklaces as they exercise to CHOOSY music.

*Parent Involvement - Parents are sending in healthy snack recipes. They are in the process of making a IMIL CHOOSY Snack Recipe Book for all the families.

Organization Name: Rock Island-Milan Head Start

Name: Marilyn Arp

Address:
541 21st Ave
Rock Island, IL 61210
Phone: (309) 793-5900 x270

Best Practice Entries:*Newspaper article on “Be Choosy” event

* RI Early Childhood Programs Newsletter
* Flyer
* Assessment Handout
* IMIL Statistics Comparison
* ’Tips For Parents’ Pamphlet

*Included in the Best Practice Entry for Rock Island-Milan Head Start is a newspaper article on their “Be Choosy” event. The article posted in the Rock Island News by Lauri Whiskeyman is titled, Head Start thanks community, families. The article discusses Rock Island-Milan Head Start’s “Be Choosy” event for preschoolers and parents at the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center.

* RI Early Childhood Programs Newsletter
-Sections Included:
-What’s Happening in Preschool
-Upcoming March Events
-Director’s Corner
-Prevention Initiative Update
-Managers’ Minute
*Flyer
-IMIL An evening with Choosy (Sunday, May 20, 2007)
*Assessment Handout
-7 Motor Skills & 3 Evaluation Dates
*IMIL Statistics Comparison
-comparison of motor skills for 3 and 4 yr olds
*’Tips For Parents’ Pamphlet
-Includes Healthy Eating and Physical Activity sections

Organization Name: Opportunities For Otsego, Inc.

Name: Dawn Helstrom, RDH and Kristyn N. Yaple, Nutrition Specialist

Address:
3 West Broadway
Oneonta, NY 13820
Phone: (607) 433-8064
Fax: (607) 433-8066
Best Practice Entries:

*IMIL In Action Power Point

The IMIL In Action power point submitted by Opportunities For Otsego, Inc. shows an overview of how IMIL is being implemented in Oneonta, NY Head Starts. First, Lil’ Choosy was created. Lily for short, is their version of a green mascot. Next, in January 2008, staff participated in an all day training. Training workshops included: MVPA, Nutrition Building Blocks, Dental/ Portion Size/ Recipes, and Homemade Props/ Toys. Pictures of each of the training workshops are included in this best practice entry. Following the all day training event, staff of Opportunities For Otsego, Inc. outreached into their community. The first event was the Oneonta Heart Run/ Walk on February 9, 2008 at SUNY Oneonta College Campus, followed by National Nutrition Month displays at Wilber National Bank from March 24-31. The power point closes with a slide dedicated to their collaboration with Wal-Mart who donated a smoothie machine for each of their 10 center, and pictures of their incorporation of smoothies and movement, and Lil’ Choosy in the classroom.

To support educators, families, and administrators with effective resources to help young children connect with nature, the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation have developed the Nature Explore program. Based on years of Dimensions’ research and field testing, each Nature Explore resource can be used alone or in concert to help children make closer connections to nature and develop a lifelong sense of wonder.

Nature Explore Workshops offer flexible, site specific help to educators to bring the benefits of nature into both indoor and outdoor classrooms. Each Nature Explore Workshop provides research-based, fieldtested activities that support comprehensive learning with nature.

Link to Nature Explore

California Updates Nutrition Guide to Address Specific Age, Ethnic Groups
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
May 15, 2008

The California Department of Health Care Services has unveiled a new online resource designed to encourage healthy eating and fitness habits among state residents, the Thousand Oaks Acorn reports. Last updated in 1990, the new 2008 California Food Guide outlines nutrition and fitness needs by age and racial and ethnic background. It also includes guidelines for low-income populations and pregnant and breast-feeding women. The guide, which is designed for caregivers and health educators, offers information on health issues such as diabetes, vegetarian diets, environmental food contaminants and food insecurity. According to Sandra Shewry, the director of the state public health department, the guide is another tool to encourage Californians to make healthier choices and reverse the epidemic of obesity." (Thousand Oaks Acorn, 5/15/08; Department of Health Care Services release, 5/9/08; California Food Guide, May 2008).

Thousand Oaks Acorn

CALIFORNIA FOOD GUIDE