Our Approach
Education
Parent Empowerment
Community Mobilization
FAN4Kids is a school-based program that teaches and reinforces healthy choices that empower children to make smart decisions about their eating and fitness habits. FAN4Kids educates children, involves parents and mobilizes the community. It’s a model that results in sustainable changes in lifestyle habits for all!
Here’s how we do it.
Education
| FAN4Kids is a simple yet comprehensive program dedicated to educating children and their families about healthy eating and fitness. FAN4Kids instructors teach hands-on, interactive nutrition and fitness lessons every week of the entire school year. Our instructors spend full days in our schools, supervise recess + lunch and become an integral part of each school community. When FAN4Kids is in a school, healthy habits grow organically. FAN4Kids makes being healthy a fun lifestyle habit. |  |
Nutrition Lessons
| Nutrition Lessons cover a wide variety of topics and encourage students to eat a good balance and variety of real foods based on the USDA MyPlate guidelines, as opposed to strict diets or harsh rules. Students learn to make smart choices about food and to be mindful about what is healthy versus not-so-healthy. They learn not to overload on sugars, overly processed foods and unhealthy fats. Through frequent food tastings, with food purchased in each schools’ neighborhood, our students are introduced to a variety of tasty, healthy foods and adopt healthier options within the diverse cultures we serve. |  |
Fitness Lessons
| Fitness Lessons are active and fun with a focus on developing aerobic capacity, improving fitness level and learning specific skills that benefit all children, like flexibility + balance, core strength + coordination and self-esteem. This gives students the confidence to move and play in and out of school and to enjoy and seek out physical activity. Students learn about the major muscles of the body. Each week they learn a new muscle and coinciding skill activity that focuses on that muscle. |  |
FAN4Kids Lunch + Recess
| FAN4Kids recess is led by our instructors and is a vital part of the FAN4Kids program that has become a favorite of both kids and schools. It includes all students regardless of “ability,” provides more structure and keeps children extremely active. After a FAN4Kids recess, students return to the classroom more focused and attentive. During lunch period, F4K Instructors have real life conversations with students about the food choices they are making and how it relates to the nutrition lessons they are learning. It is a time to motivate and encourage healthy eating and to try foods they might not otherwise. |  |
Student Leadership
| FAN4Kids instructors facilitate discussions on barriers to good health, like access to healthy foods, and help students to initiate healthy community change, empowering youth as leaders and encouraging them to be change-makers in their community and homes. Lessons start with learning about how to advocate at the local government level with letter writing and setting up meetings with local city council members. |  |
FAN4Families/Family Fitness Days
| Biannual family, fitness & fun celebrations featuring: multiple fitness activities, contests, healthy food samples, nutritional demonstrations, handouts and music. These celebrations include parents, children, siblings and school staff. |  |
FAN4Kids Newsletters
| These monthly updates (for parents and caretakers) and quarterly F4K newsletters provide updates, resources, healthy recipes, articles on eating well, staying fit and healthy as a family, healthy habits, homework for families, updates on what their child is learning with F4K with questions and tips to continue the lessons at home, cost-free activities in students neighborhood and answers to parents and caretakers’ wellness questions. Click here to read our newsletters. | |
Community
| FAN4Kids knows that the fight against childhood obesity “takes a village.” That’s why we collaborate and partner with local retailers and businesses, local and state political leaders, hospitals and medical facilities, colleges, and other non-profit organizations. United we will win the battle! |  |
FAN4Kids Schools
Our schools are our most important partners. FAN4Kids schools are a special breed, with a commitment to a holistic approach of educating and nourishing their students’ minds and bodies. The administration and staff at our schools know that a healthy body fueled by nutritious food and plenty of physical activity leads to happy, more focused students with stronger academic outcomes.