“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is: Healthy lifestyle.
Element 2.1.3: Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.
How intentionally does your educational program and everyday practice inspire every child to be physically active, develop confidence in movement, and build healthy habits that support lifelong wellbeing?
Healthy lifestyles are established through everyday experiences, relationships and routines. Services are expected to actively promote healthy eating and physical activity that is appropriate for each child’s age, abilities, interests and individual needs. Rather than viewing physical activity as a scheduled part of the day, high-quality services intentionally embed movement throughout the program, creating frequent and consistent opportunities for children to be active, challenge themselves, develop confidence and experience the joy of movement and the benefits that follow.
Physical activity is about more than staying active or developing gross motor skills. Regular movement supports children’s physical health, brain development, emotional wellbeing, self-regulation, resilience, social competence and confidence. Active play also encourages children to assess risk, solve problems, negotiate with peers, persevere through challenges and build independence, all essential capabilities for lifelong learning.
The educational program should provide a balance of structured and child-led movement experiences across both indoor and outdoor environments. Children benefit from opportunities to run, climb, jump, balance, throw, catch, kick, dance, stretch, build obstacle courses, practise yoga, participate in imaginative movement games and engage in open-ended physical challenges. Equally important are opportunities for spontaneous active play where children can direct their own movement, test their abilities and pursue their interests.
High-quality practice involves educators intentionally planning inclusive environments that foster movement throughout the day rather than limiting physical activity to designated outdoor play times. Learning environments should encourage children to move naturally between experiences, make active choices and engage in movement in ways that are enjoyable, inclusive and developmentally appropriate.
Quality practices to strengthen physical activity across the program. Services may consider:
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- embedding movement opportunities throughout daily routines rather than limiting physical activity to outdoor play experiences
- using children’s interests, strengths and information gathered during enrolment and beyond to plan engaging physical experiences that are child-centred
- consulting children regarding their favourite sports, games, movement experiences and outdoor equipment to strengthen children’s agency
- providing a balance of structured educator-led experiences and child-initiated active play throughout the day
- intentionally planning opportunities to practise fundamental movement skills including balancing, jumping, hopping, throwing, catching, kicking, climbing and running
- providing opportunities for children to design, adapt and extend obstacle courses, encouraging creativity, problem-solving and active participation
- incorporating dance, music, drama, yoga, mindfulness movement and creative expression into the daily program
- providing loose parts and open-ended resources that encourage children to create their own physically active games
- ensuring experiences provide an appropriate level of challenge while allowing every child to experience success
- adapting activities so children of all abilities can actively participate
- encouraging active transport where appropriate, such as walking to excursion destinations and bush kinder
- engaging educators as active participants who model enjoyment, persistence and positive attitudes towards movement
- promoting the benefits of active play by intentionally discussing with children how movement helps keep our bodies, minds and emotions healthy
- regularly reviewing indoor and outdoor environments to ensure they’re inclusive, foster active exploration, appropriate challenge and risk-taking, that is safe.
Everyday routines such as mealtimes, hydration and hygiene practices provide valuable opportunities for educators to intentionally promote healthy habits. Positive role modelling, respectful conversations about food and movement, and encouraging children to listen to their own bodies help foster lifelong attitudes towards health and wellbeing.
Partnerships with families are equally important. Consistent messages between home and the service help children develop healthy habits that extend beyond the education and care environment. Sharing practical ideas and celebrating children’s enjoyment of active play encourages families to incorporate movement into everyday life.
Partnering with families to promote healthy lifestyles. Services may consider:
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- including a regular “Healthy Living” section in your newsletter with practical ideas to get children active and examples of physically active games, experiences and activities to do around the house. Include links to online resources
- sharing photos and learning stories highlighting children’s participation in physically active play and learning experiences
- providing links to the Australian Government’s Get Up & Grow resources for families
- promoting local sporting events, fun runs and activities in your newsletter, flyers at the service or posted via online platforms (social media, information sharing apps), including your local businesses providing lessons for swimming, nippers, gymnastics, dance, kids yoga, kinder sports/gym, Ready Steady Go etc.
- sharing simple movement games that families can enjoy at home using everyday household items
- sharing physically active play experiences/activities from the service’s program with families, particularly those that are popular with the children
- promoting the service’s commitment to fostering a healthy lifestyle, in the Family Handbook, service website and visual displays. Detail the importance and benefits of physical activity and healthy eating.
- inviting families to share cultural games, movement traditions or sporting interests that can be incorporated into the educational program.
When healthy lifestyles are intentionally embedded throughout the educational program and everyday practice, across the service, children begin to view movement as an enjoyable, rewarding and natural part of everyday life. Through responsive planning, engaging environments, educator role modelling and strong partnerships with families, services support children to develop the confidence, skills and positive attitudes that support lifelong health and wellbeing.
Resources for services:
Guide to the NQF- Standard 2.1: Health, Element 2.1.3: Healthy Lifestyle
Get Up & Grow– Staff Handbook, Director/Coordinator’s Handbook, Family book
We hear you- Seven Meters Squared, Fostering healthy habits through a whole service approach to nutrition and physical activity
Sport clinics: Sport Tots- NSW, QLD & VIC, Kelly Sports- NSW, ACT, VIC & SA
Resources for families:
Get up and Grow- Family Handbook
Using screen time and digital technology for physical activity: children and pre-teens
Within System7 go to Quality Area 2/Module 15 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
Within QIP Desk go to element 2.1.3 to submit your key practices and if required, create a QIP Goal for areas of improvement.
The Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with healthy lifestyle. These include Physical Activity Policy, Program Template, Nutrition and Food Safety Policy, Menu Template, Menu Planning Checklist, Nutritional Practices Procedure, Critical Reflection Template, Observation Template and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links:
The Desktop – The Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 2/ 2.1.3- Healthy Lifestyle
National Law – Section 51(1)(a) Conditions on service approval (safety, health and wellbeing of children)
National Regulations –78– Food and beverages, 79– Service providing food and beverages, 80– Weekly menu
System7 Module – QA 2/ Module 15
If you have any questions, send us a note via the Contact page here!
