October 2011
important updates for success and more resources from the child care healthy food program
Dear Child Care Provider,
As summer winds down, we often find ourselves spending more time inside and moving less. This
month we introduce you to a great website that offers daily suggestions for increasing physical
activity. We also share a fun, festive and nutritional recipe that kids are sure to love! Have a
great month and stay active with your kids and family. Enjoy! The Healthy Food Program
Head Start Body Start
Are you a provider that enjoys keeping
your children active? Does a healthy
lifestyle for yourself, the children you
care for and the families you work with
interest you? Do you find it difficult to
make exercise a daily routine? If you
answered “yes” to any of these questions, this is the article for you!
The human body naturally yearns
for physical movement. Our brain is
constantly reminding our body that it
needs to move; and movement is what
helps to keep the brain active and functioning. Routine physical activity is the
best way to ensure a healthy brain and
body! However, it can be one of the
hardest things to fit into a busy day.
Luckily, there are resources that are
geared towards helping busy people
stay physically active!
Head Start Body Start National
Center for Physical Development and
Outdoor Play (HSBS) is dedicated to
promoting physical activity, outdoor
play and healthy lifestyles for young
children and their families. Head Start
Body Start (HSBS) has a FREE website
for child care providers, families and
anyone interested in creating a healthy
lifestyle for children. The HSBS website (www.headstartbodystart.org) is
full of fun activities and tools to inspire
creative, movement-based play and
healthy choices for children and families.
Below is a Get Moving Today
Calendar for the month of October,
inspired by HSBS. You can access
other calendar months by visiting
www.headstartbodystart.org. Click
Activity Resources on the left column,
click the Get Moving Today
Calendar and then click the month
that interests you.
Duplicated with permission from Head Start Body
Start (HSBS). For more information about quality
K-12 physical education visit www.naspe.org. For
more information about lifelong and inclusive
physical activity visit www.aapar.org.
Get Moving Today Calendar • October 2011
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
Plan an afternoon of
physical activity. Let
everyone decide one
thing that they would
like to do with the
rest of the family.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Practice bouncing a
ball. Can you bounce
it really high? Can
you bounce it really
low? Can you ounce
it so it travels
behind you?
How far can you kick
a ball? Kick it hard,
chase it, run back
and kick it again.
Practice your hopping
skills. Take off and
land on the same foot.
How many times can
you hop in a row?
Can you hop with
both feet?
Spread out a towel—
and move around it,
beside it, on it and
then under it. Try a
cool movement or silly
dance as you travel
around the towel!
Hit a beach ball high
into the sky and chase
it as it flies through
the air.
A day to stretch your
body in all different
shapes and directions.
Try to hold each
stretch until you count
to 5!
Make up a yoga pose
for your favorite
animals. Do each
pose as you relax
and breathe.
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Play hide and seek
with a friend or
family member.
Partner with friends
and rake leaves. Try
your best and use
your muscles!
Using paper plates,
try to see how far you
can make them fly.
What is the best way
to toss it to make it
go far?
Play catch. Follow
the ball with your eyes
and then move your
hands, arms and
body to meet
the ball.
Play Kick Golf—pick
a target, take turns
kicking until you hit
the target and then
pick a new goal.
Make a tunnel
with two chairs
and a sheet. Run
around it and crawl
through it!
Using the lids from
containers create a
pathway of stepping
stones. Step on each
stone trying not to
touch the floor.
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Using stuff from
around the house,
create an obstacle
course—have fun
moving through it in
different ways.
Write letters on the
sidewalk with chalk—
then jump or leap
over each letter.
Take 2 minutes
before going to bed
tonight to stretch and
relax as a family.
Play a game of “I can
_____, can you”?
Take turns filling in
the blank with
different body
movements.
Work on throwing
a ball hard and far.
Try to throw it a
little bit further
each time.
Work on jumping
and hopping today.
Jumping is two feet
and hoping is one.
Run and Touch—have
someone identify a part
of your body and a number—now run and touch
that many items using that
body part (i.e. touch 8
things with your elbow).
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Work on your striking
skills by hitting a
pitched ball. Keep
your eye on the ball!
Work on your underhand tossing skills.
Find some small
objects to toss into
a box. Then, keep
backing up.
Work on skipping
today—step-hopstep-hop-step-hop!
Make up a movement
pattern today! Try
jump, jump, wiggle,
jump, jump and
wiggle.
Find a hill to run
up and roll down.
Go up in a different
way and come down
in a different way.
Go for a hike and
pick up trash. Then,
toss the trash into
a basket. Don’t
forget your gloves!
Pretend to move like
different foods. Melt
like a popsicle, pop
like popcorn, scramble
like eggs and slither
like spaghetti.
30
31
Experiment with fast
and slow. Move
individual body parts
fast and then slow.
Move your whole
body fast and then
slow.
Go back and do
your favorite activity
from this month!
You can access other calendar months by visiting www.headstartbodystart.org.
Click Activity Resources on the left column, click the Get Moving Today Calendar
and then click the month that interests you.
September claims are due in our office by October 5th!
Warning! Late claims WILL result in late payment!
Reminder:
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will be conducting
unannounced child care home reviews during meal times this fall
and winter. If you receive a visit, always check for identification
and feel free to call us if you are doubtful of the person at your
door. You or your assistant cannot ask the ISBE monitor to come
back later; you or your assistant must conduct the review. The
purpose of the ISBE review is to monitor Illinois Action for
Children’s Healthy Food Program. ISBE
is required by the United States
Department of Agriculture to do this
for all food programs. Be sure to call
us if you are going to be closed or
away during a meal time and we
will inform the ISBE monitor if he
or she is at your door and you do
not answer.
Important Healthy Food
Program Numbers
Out-of-home voice mail phone
number: 773-697-6108
If you are closed, going to be out of your
home during a scheduled meal service
or the children are not present—state
regulations require you to inform us.
Payment release dates call:
773-564-8860
To speak to
a customer
service
representative
call:
773-697-6107
fax:
773-564-8721
Welcome New Providers!
Based on July Claims
Healthy Recipe: Funny Face Pizza Snack
INGREDIENTS
•
•
•
•
•
4 English muffins, split or 4 slices of whole-grain pita bread
1/2 cup of low-fat pasta sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables
Ham or pepperoni
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven—350°
2. Place on a baking sheet and spread
each muffin or slice of bread with sauce
and top with cheese.
3. Cut vegetables and meat into shapes
(suggested below).
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or
until cheese melts.
Karen Allen
Amanda Armstrong
Quincy Blunt
Verna Cokes
Marcus Daniels
Doris Finch
Maria Franco
Eunice Galva
Charlotte Mondy
Nancy Uribe
Elizabeth Valdez
Cassandra Wooden
Alyce Coleman
Renee Hendley
Gertrude Mixon
Tangler Motley
I
CH
LD CAR
E
SUGGESTIONS FOR FACES:
Eyes:
mushrooms or carrot
strips
Nose:
cherry tomato half,
pepperoni or ham
Mouth:
bell pepper slices or carrot strips
Hair:
strips of ham, cauliflower or broccoli
florets cut in small pieces
Illinois Action for Children
4753 N. Broadway, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60640
main: 312-823-1100
direct: 773-697-6107
fax: 773-564-8721
web: www.actforchildren.org
In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 202509410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service
at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.