BODYBREAK KID FIT®
Introduction
Willowbrae Academy understands that building a solid foundation for healthy living is extremely important. We believe that if children learn healthy habits at an early age, they have these habits for life. Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can significantly lower the risk of long term health effects. Healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy adults.
One of the best strategies for raising healthy children is to improve a child’s diet and physical activity, while educating them about the importance of making positive choices. Willowbrae has partnered with Hal Johnson & Joanne McLeod, of BodyBreak to develop BodyBreak KID FIT. BodyBreak KID FIT is a healthy-living initiative designed to educate both children and their parents about the importance of daily physical activity, rest & sleep, healthy food choices, and other positive lifestyle habits.
What is BodyBreak KID FIT?
Willowbrae’s BodyBreak KID FIT focuses on Activity and Education. At Willowbrae we provide specific activities for children during the time they are in our care and education for parents and children when they are not at the Academy.
Parents receive weekly KID FIT Tidbits containing tips and resources about healthy living from our BodyBreak team and other Academy affiliates. In addition to Tidbits, our Early Childhood Educators teach children healthy habits and demonstrate the importance of daily active play.
Our goal is to encourage healthy living choices for our Willowbrae Academy families so that a healthy lifestyle becomes first and foremost outside our learning environment.
Video Message from Hal Johnson & Joanne McLeod
Learning Branches
Willowbrae BodyBreak KID FIT focuses on four key areas: Active Play, Rest & Sleep, Eating Smart, and Happy Me.
ACTIVE PLAY
We've known for a long time that children should be active on a daily basis. Willowbrae ensures that this is the case for all children enrolled in our Academies. Each day we have both BodyBreak KID FIT structured play breaks and active free play periods.
BodyBreak KID FIT structured play provides children with structured play inside and outside the classroom, developing and reinforcing the important habit of daily physical activity.
Active free play not only provides physical activity, but also helps children develop a variety of valuable life skills; socialization, building relationships, patience, perseverance, problem solving, and teamwork. Active free play is an important part in the development of a child’s ability to deal with the challenges and situations they will experience later in life. Through active free play children are given the opportunity to use their imagination and creativity to experience the world around them.
REST & SLEEP
Even if a preschool aged child sleeps well at night, they still need regular naps or rest periods. At Willowbrae, our children have scheduled nap periods each day. Younger children often sleep during these periods, while older children may rest or observe quiet time. Establishing good sleep habits helps your child fall asleep, stay asleep, and awake rested and refreshed.
EATING SMART
We want to ensure our children are receiving a healthy diet, and eating food that comes from nature and not from a factory is important to us. Willowbrae has an excellent dietitian-designed menu that follows Canada’s Food Guide. Our Willowbrae chefs create homemade daily snacks and lunches from scratch using only the freshest ingredients in our very own kitchens.
HAPPY ME
At Willowbrae, we believe that happiness is a by-product of both physical and emotional health. We want to help our families raise happy children. We do everything that we can to meet our children’s needs, and to help them understand the importance of being positive, bullying prevention, fostering self-compassion and self-respect, and respecting the needs and feelings of others. Willowbrae plants the seeds to grow personal happiness and positive self-image.
