About

Be Active Kids is an award winning, innovative, interactive health program for children ages birth to five is available to adults working in child care centers, child care homes, and schools.  Its evidence-based and evidence-informed messages are carried out through five cuddly and adventurous characters including Blue the caring cub, Glide the bird, Swing the monkey, Leap the rabbit and Dart the dog.  Using these characters as their guides, children can engage in playful experiences, interact with a story, explore their natural surroundings, and much more.

Our Mission

Improve the health of children birth to five.

 

Milestone Goals

  1. Improving the physical activity and nutrition practices in child care centers, schools, homes, and communities by giving young children the tools they need to develop positive physical activity and nutrition habits for a lifetime of good health.
  2. Providing the best physical activity related resources and professional development to individuals caring for young children.  
  3. Developing and maintaining strong relationships around children's health.

 

Our Approach

This program utilizes a developmentally appropriate curriculum kit and various training modules to increase physical activity of both children and adults in early childhood settings.   Instructional materials provide physical activity content along with instructional strategies in four focus areas motor skill development, health-related fitness, play, and nature.  Integrating learning and movement is a key to developing a balanced and healthy child who understands and interacts with the world around them. 

In addition to the curricula, Be Active Kids offers several training modules, based on our 10 components, to assist in the continuing education of early childhood professionals.  Our training modules vary in length from one to five hours and are intended to be connected together to develop a deeper level of competence while assisting educators in gaining CEUs towards certification.  Each training module includes active engagement and physical activity, relevant and up-to-date information, practical examples and application of the information presented, as well as follow-up action.  Be Active Kids trainings align with NC Division of Child Development topic areas:  (1) Planning a safe, healthy learning environment; (2) Children’s physical & intellectual development; (3) Child growth development; and (4) Productive relationships with families.  Be Active Kids is also aligned with North Carolina Child Care Rules, North Carolina Environment Rating Scales, North Carolina Foundation for Early Learning and Development, and Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment for Child Care.

 

Our Partners

Be Active Kids is proud to have so many great local, state, national, and international partners and supporters.  Improving the health of children across North Carolina would be so much more difficult and our shared success would be some much more limited without our wonderful collaboration, communication, and overall connection.

 

Our Clubhouse Team

Meet our five cuddly and adventurous Be Active Kids characters.

 

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The Problem

The most critical time to set a foundation for a healthy life is from birth to age five yet these youngest of North Carolinian’s are less healthy than any previous generation. 

FACT:  3 out of every 10 young, low-income children ages 2-4 are either overweight or obese.
FACT:  Children devote only four to seven minutes a day to unstructured outdoor play like climbing trees, drawing with chalk on the sidewalk, taking a nature walk or playing a game of catch. Yet, kids spend more than seven hours each day in front of electronic media.

 

The Solution

Children need to be more active and eat healthier, more nutritious meals and snack.

FACT:  If children 0-5 can engage in a minimum of 120 minutes of active play and movement each day obesity rates can be reduced and positive health effects will take place.
OBSERVATION:  “A 4 year old knows better how to work an iPad than how to climb in a tree.”

 

Our Role

We provide the best resources and training experiences for adults working with young children, ages 0-5 throughout North Carolina.

FACT:  Over 250,000 children, ages 0-5 spent more than 40 hours a week in over 7,500 regulated child care facilities in North Carolina
TESTIMENT:  “I really wish we had a program like this in our state.  North Carolina is so lucky to have someone focusing on this consistently.”

Testimonials

  • Preservice Teachers Learn to Use Be Active Kids in Limited Spaces

    I really enjoyed our class meeting. It was interesting to discover that you can do just about anything with children in the classroom where there may not be much space to encourage them to be active.  A change that I will make in my own life is to be more active, as well as my daughter. I will share this information with my friends that have children such as yoga animals, or Simon Says.

    Cathy Sesta, Parent & Child Care Provider
  • Early Childhood Physical Activity Institute

    Thank you for inviting me to be part of this year’s Institute. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the experience. You’re doing amazing work and I hope I’ll be able to continue contributing to it a bunch in the future.

    Rae Pica, www.movingandlearning.com
  • Plenty of Resources That I Can Use and Share

    This class was informative, and I look forward to being physically active with young children. On Friday, I volunteered at a Parents Night Out through my daughter's school. When I got there the kids were watching a movie. I got them up to play Simon Says and Red Light Green Light, however, after that I was stuck on what to do. I wish I had the knowledge I gained from this class, to have made it more exciting.

    I enjoyed your Land and Lake Activity.

    Venessa Wright, Parent & Child Care Provider
  • Be Active Kids Trainers Rock!

    I loved the training.  I would have loved it more if I had the other teachers from my center there also.  I am really looking forward to taking my kit to work and sharing it with my staff.  I liked Brittney, she reminded me of myself as far as being very active and motivated.  When I am at work with my little ones we stay busy all day.  I feel like singing my instructions and dancing my actions helps them to focus better on what I need for them to do.  Britney was great and I learned a lot from her. I am always trying to find new little ways to get the kids moving.

    Tiffany Daniel, Sandhill Community College
  • ECPAI

    The Early Childhood Physical Activity Institute was just wonderful!  Thank you again for including me in such an important effort to create and sustain leaders in EC physical activity. I would love to return to NC anytime that you think I can help. I enjoyed meeting the folks who work with you and hearing about all of the great things that are planned. 

    Linda Carson, Choosy Kids
  • Be Active Kids has Much to Offer

    Congratulations to you and everyone who has been promoting PA for young
    children in NC. You have much to be proud of here. Be Active Kids is an excellent source of ideas for promoting active play in unstructured settings. The Be Active Kids website also has resources on promoting unstructured active play. I encourage folks to review these resources. 

    Diane Craft, SUNY Cortland & Active Play Books