A fruit or vegetable should be served to toddlers and preschoolers at every meal.
Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a child’s diet, but most children are not eating the recommended amount each day. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables have lower risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, and stroke.

Chips, French fries, fried potatoes, chicken nuggets, fish sticks and fried meats should be offered once a month or less.
Fried and pre-fried potatoes and meats (such as French fries, fried potato bites, hash browns, chicken nuggets, and fish sticks) contribute a lot of saturated fat and calories to the diet. Reduction of these food items can significantly reduce calories consumed.

All meals to preschoolers should be served family-style.
Family-style dining is a wonderful opportunity to enrich a child’s learning environment. Pouring, serving and passing food helps children practice independence and it can promote language and motor skills. Learning to use serving utensils allows children to develop fine motor skills.

Drinking water should be available inside and outside for self-serve.
Water makes up over half of a child’s body weight and it is essential for their health. Most importantly water helps keep a child growing appropriately and all parts of the body working properly. To encourage children to drink water, it is important to have water visible and available both inside and outside.

Children two years and older should be served skim or non-fat milk.
Milk is a great source of calcium, vitamin D, potassium, protein and other nutrients essential for growth of bones and teeth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends low-fat or non-fat milk for children ages 2 or older.

100% fruit juice should be limited to no more than 4-6 oz per day.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children six months and older consume no more than 4-6 ounces of 100% fruit juice per day. This amount includes juice that children are receiving at both home and at child care.

Sugary drinks (sports drinks, sweet tea, soda) should never be offered.
Sweetened drinks, including fruit drinks, sports drinks, sweet tea, and soda, are packed with calories and sugar, but offer little to nothing in terms of nutrients.

Preschoolers need two or more hours of active play time every day. Toddlers should have at least an hour of active play time each day.
Physical activity helps children stay at a healthy weight and reduces their risk of developing obesity-related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It also has been shown to help relieve feelings of stress and depression and reduce behavioral problems.

Babies should have short periods of “tummy time” every day.
Tummy time for infants has many benefits, such as promoting motor skill and cognitive development. Tummy time helps infants build strength, particularly in their neck and shoulder muscles. This, in turn, helps infants reach early movement milestones like rolling over, sitting up, and crawling.

Limit screen time to 30 minutes a week or less for preschoolers during child care. Screen time for toddlers and babies should be limited to four times or less a year, preferably none, in child care. Child care providers should provide media literacy education to parents of preschoolers at least twice a year.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discourages the use of screen time for children under two  years and recommends a limit of 1-2 hours a day for children two years and older. Screen time is not just watching TV; it also includes time spent playing on a computer, cell phone, tablet, or video game.

Breastfeeding mothers should be provided a private area for breastfeeding or pumping.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life, introduced to complementary foods around 6 months of age, and continue breastfeeding until at least 12 months of age. Breastfeeding provides positive benefits to both baby and mother.