Local Daycare teams with Michelle Obama

We told you earlier this year how a local childcare/school started an exercise class and hired a chef to teach kids healthy habits at a young age. Bright Horizons in Bloomington and Peoria is now teaming up with Michelle Obama as part of her campaign to decrease childhood obesity. Bright Horizons is implementing its healthy eating and fitness campaign at locations throughout the country. This week it became the first child care and early education organization to sign on to the Partnership for a Healthier America and the first lady's Lets Move campaign. Teachers at Bright Horizons in Bloomington actually do choreographed dance routines and yoga with the kids as part of its Movement Matters program. Kids eat all fresh fruits and vegetables that are made daily by a chef. Bright Horizons says healthy habits start early and they want to get kids off on the right foot.

Here's more info on the partnership.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Yoga and Fine Dining at Daycare

As I started working on a childhood obesity story, I found out a local daycare/preschool is offering yoga classes and fine dining for our little ones. I just had to see this for myself! While we were there filming the story, the kindergartners did a dance to "Walk like an Egyptian." It was super cute. It made me realize how important it is to teach kids to eat healthy and exercise from birth instead of trying to retrain their minds as they get older. Here's the story that ran on WHOI tonight.
Obesity is an epidemic in the u-s and it's becoming a big problem for children. Last night we showed you how one local public school is handling new government regulations for healthy school lunches.

Tonight, we are headed to a private school that is already doing what many hope public schools can accomplish.

The menu at Bright Horizons Childhood Learning Center in Bloomington has changed.

Center Director Candice Armour said,"We use all fresh vegetables and fruit. We don't use anything that's canned so the children can get the freshest produce we can provide."

The food is made in a brand new kitchen by the center's new chef. It's served family style-so the kids are learning good manners as well.

Mom Jamie Crews said, ""Considering the public schools aren't following any type of this healthy eating pattern-they still have snack machines and soda machines and everything else-it's nice to see a preschool is showing them how it should be done."

Dad Phillip Hess said, "We try to press a lot of healthy eating at home and I think with the accompaniment of them already stressing the healthy eating here at school, it sort of carries over to us at home."

A third of american kids are at risk of being obese or are in fact obese. Kids consume a third to half of their daily calories at school. That's why eating grilled chicken, whole grain rice and fresh broccoli is so important.

Center Director Candice Armour said, "They have three meals here at school everyday so we have to provide those healthy choices for them if we are going to provide these healthy environments." But as most parents know, it's not always easy to get kids to eat something new- it took some time. "Now something like asparagus-where it was something they wouldn't touch-is now a fan favorite," said Armour.

Dad Phillip Hess said, "The only one I know for sure is fresh pears. He's talking about pears a lot more so. We have added that to the menu on a regular basis."

And we all know the key to staying healthy is not only eating right, but exercising. That's why Bright Horizons gutted this play room and turned it into the movement matters room. Candice Armour said, "We wanted to give them a more structured exercise class. It gives them an opportunity to stretch the muscles and it will help them as they move on to a structured program in school."

Here kids are actually participating in fun exercise classes like aerobics and yoga. Dad Phillip Hess said, "He loves it.It makes for a tired two year old when we get home so we like it."

Federal guidelines recommend kids get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. The movement matters classes guarantee they get that time in.

Exercising everyday and eating fresh food is normal for these students. And that's the goal, to instill healthy habits at a young age instead of making changes after kids become obese.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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How a local school curbs Childhood Obesity

A preschool/kindergarten in Bloomington is taking big steps to try and curb the childhood obesity epidemic. Bright Horizons at Bloomington is an early learning center that cares for kids ages two-years-old to kindergarten. Other locations also provide child care for birth to two and after school care for older kids. Assistant Director Amy Starr said, “We are remodeling our kitchen to make it a full service kitchen. We have hired a chef and are working on healthy snacks and meals.” The school also has a new exercise area where daily classes will be held.

Prior to the renovation at Bright Horizons, the preschool didn’t have a stove or oven. The meals were catered in and consisted of canned vegetables and some processed food. Starr said, “Now we will have warm breakfasts, more fresh fruits and vegetables.” Starr said she thinks it’s the way a lot of child care centers/preschools will be in the future. She suspects around 50% of preschools in the Bloomington area now have a full service kitchen. "We are trying to hit on a healthier lifestyle and healthy eating," said Starr.

Example of catered in meal: chicken nuggets, broccoli and cheese dip, fruit cocktail and a muffin
Snacks:crackers and teddy grahams

Example New Menu: chicken and noodles, fresh green beans (instead of canned) and homemade apple sauce.
Breakfast: silver dollar pancakes, fresh blueberries and milk
Snacks: fresh fruits and vegetables

Starr said, "We really want them to have that good meal during the day. When we leave school we go to practice, we are in a hurry, etc. It's common for parents to swing by a fast food place. We feel it's very important to get that nutrition at school."

The school is also teaching by example. The teachers actually sit down and eat lunch with the kids-the same menu. "We chat with the kids during meal time. I am a mother of two boys and I know sometimes it's go, go go and you just don't have time to ask how was your day?" said Starr.

Bright Horizons also made big changes to the play area. They got rid of the climbers and put in a large carpeted area where they will be holding exercise classes from yoga to aerobics. The idea is to give kids P.E. time even in the winter months. Starr said, "We just know it's important to start early-to get kids used to start doing a daily exercise activity through out the day."

Bright Horizons at Bloomington (2432 Maloney Drive) is holding an open house for parents and teachers to see the new changes August 21st from 2-5p.m.There will be an instructor there to show kids what will happen during the exercise classes.

It seems the federal government is trying to implement similar programs at public schools around the nation:

FROM NBC: As families approach the new school year, students across the national will be eating healthier lunches. That's because hundreds of chefs are signing up for the government's "chefs move to school initiative. It encourages culinary experts to help schools prepare tasty and nutritious food for school children.

About 31 million children eat school provided lunches every day and 11 million eat breakfast there...consuming 30 to 50 percent of their calories from school provided meals. First lady Michelle Obama launched the program as part of her campaign to reduce childhood obesity.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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