Healthy Tots programme is launched
MORE than 130 day nurseries and childcare providers in Leicestershire are encouraging youngsters to be ‘healthy tots’ through a county council programme.
The Healthy Tots programme is run by public health teams at County Hall and encourages healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health and wellbeing among under-fives.
As part of the programme, the physical activities will include climbing stairs and tidying up, to more physical play such as hopscotch and an obstacle course.
Children are provided with healthy, balanced and nutritional snacks, and there is also work done around selfconfidence and awareness.
Coun Ernie White, the county council’s cabinet member for public health, said: “We know that good health habits developed in the early years of a young person’s development are likely to continue into adulthood.
“We’re delighted that many nurseries have signed up for the Healthy Tots scheme and we know that they see their involvement in the scheme as building blocks for the future.”
One of the latest groups to gain ‘Healthy Tots’ accreditation is Watermead Day Nursery in Loughborough, recently rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Owner Sarah Allen said: “Watermead aims to deliver the highest quality care for our children and we’re very proud of getting the Healthy Tots accreditation. We think it’s a true reflection of the outstanding practices we have in healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health and wellbeing.
“We would like to thank the Healthy Tots team for their support and to the Mayor of Loughborough for visiting us and presenting the awards.”
Guests at Watermead were shown a host of activities which were set up in different rooms of the nursery.
To find out more about the Healthy Tots programme, visit www.leicestershirehealthytots.org.uk or email healthytots@leics.gov.uk or call 0116 305 0705.