Start early with five healthy goals.

You are in a unique role to help prevent childhood obesity. Children spend many hours in early care and education programs, as well as family child care. Help kids build good habits by ensuring your program is a healthy environment for children to learn.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future encourages you to meet these goals:

  1. Nurture Healthy Eaters
  2. Provide Healthy Beverages
  3. Get Kids Moving
  4. Reduce Screen Time
  5. Support Breastfeeding

Learn more about the research behind these five healthy goals.

For Family Child Care:

The Creative Curriculum®

The Creative Curriculum® for Family Child Care addresses the unique strengths and challenges of family child care. Plan developmentally appropriate activities, promote children’s development, and build partnerships with families.

Find more family child care resources »

For Parents:

5 Simple Steps for Success

Print out 5 Simple Steps for Success, a resource for parents about five easy ways to create a healthy environment at home. Any combination of steps can add up to make a real difference in children’s lives.

Learn more about 5 Simple Steps for Success »

Physical Activity and Nutrition Standards Crosswalk

This document compares similar standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Caring for Our Children 2nd Edition regarding physical activity, nutrition, and technology.

Download the Physical Activity and Nutrition Standards Crosswalk »

Professional Development:

HKHF Training Modules — Healthy Goals Introduction

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future (HKHF) modules were developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provide practical strategies for implementing best practices in early childhood settings for promoting healthy weight in young children. The series includes six lessons that cover background information for childhood obesity prevention and the five best practice goals: increase physical activity, limit screen time, offer healthy beverages, serve healthy food and support infant feeding.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future: An Introduction – This lesson is an overview of the issue of childhood obesity and is an introduction to the five healthy goal areas.

Research Behind the Five Healthy Goals

Want to know how the five healthy goals came to be the focus of Healthy Kids, Healthy Future? Find out why each healthy goal was selected. Related references are also provided.