I recently had the opportunity to preview the Fit 4 You™ Kit by Hatch®. Fit 4 You™ helps teachers/providers to integrate movement and nutrition into centers and activities. It’s important to note that the activities included in this program were developed by a team of early education experts, each with over 20 years of experience educating young children. All activities correlate with NAEYC national standards for child care centers and the Head Start framework. Fit 4 You™ has also been endorsed by the USDA.

Contents:
2 Henry’s Gym Fit 4 You Posters
Fit 4 You Teacher’s Quick Reference Guide
Fit 4 You Inflatable Actions Dice
Fit 4 You “I’m Moving I’m Learning” C
“Choosy Nation” CD
Roylco® Busy Bodies Gross Motor Action Cards
Pretend-n-Play™ Gym Bag
Set of six 8′ Jump Ropes
“Now I Eat My ABC’s” Board Book
“My Plate & You” Hardcover Book
My Plate Activity Floor Game
12 Shell Squad Team Jerseys
Fruit and Vegetable Play Food
Fruity Fun Counters

This kit is pretty comprehensive. There are hands-on activities and materials for the children, but also lesson ideas and correlations to standards for teachers. For the most part, this kit is developmentally appropriate, durable, and of high quality. During fall semester I teach a Health, Safety, & Nutrition course here at DCTC and my students had the opportunity to review this kit as well. I’ll share both my personal reflections and those of my students.

The My Plate Activity Floor Game is a life-size way to teach food groups, nutrition concepts, exercise and more. Children have the opportunity to experience MyPlate with their entire body while sorting foods and placing them in the correct plate section.

I was surprised to learn that the “Now I Eat My ABC’s” Board Book included many unhealthy foods such as doughnuts, fries, jelly, licorice, ketchup, marshmallows, and Xtra cheese. However, included on the ‘helper sticker’ inside are activity ideas for the teacher to use with the book. One such activity is a guided discussion encouraging children to list healthy vs. unhealthy foods and to think of better alternatives for certain foods within the book. An introduction of ‘sometimes foods’ is also listed. I also found it interesting that Xtra cheese was used when the spelling isn’t correct. Is it best practice to model incorrect spelling when trying to promote early literacy?  Xigua (Chinese watermelon) could replace Xtra cheese. This book does have bright colors and good illustrations and introduces/reinforces letter recognition.

The Actions Dice are brightly colored with clear words/numbers. Children will enjoy rolling them to see which action and how many they’ll need to do. (4 toe touches, 8 knee bends, etc.) Because children generally enjoy tossing objects and anticipate the results of their actions, this activity is self-motivating. The dice promote large motor development.

If children are not familiar with all of the movements, the Roylco® Busy Bodies Gross Motor Action Cards work well for introducing various exercises/movements. My students pointed out that these blocks could be used individually or with small/large groups. The material used seems durable, sturdy, and easy to clean. Because they are soft blocks, they have an added safety feature.

Some of my students were slightly concerned with the jump rope because of the moveable plastic pieces. They wondered about the durability and thought it could be easily broken. They were also concerned about the possibility of pinched fingers when used with young children. My students determined that the jump rope was quite long (adult sized?) and would be challenging for young children to use. They also noted that it could be dangerous if a child decided to use it as a “whip.”

The Pretend-n-Play™ Gym Bag includes a weight, a couple of balls, lock and keys, stop watch, water bottle, ID card, and exercise chart. The bag itself is sturdy and includes zippers, ties, buttons and snaps to reinforce small motor and life skills such as dressing. The only downfall is that there is only one of each item; children may have difficulty taking turns or waiting for a turn. Perfect for setting up your own fitness gym!

There are two music CDs included in this kit. They have a good beat and are energetic! One student suggested that they add a stuffed Choosy character for the children to interact/dance with.

There are fun, colorful team jerseys included for group games. The material seems like it could easily rip so careful instructions about proper handling and care would need to be shared. The jerseys are not adjustable, but one size.

The Fruit and Vegetable Play Food and Fruity Fun Counters have potential for many learning opportunities! (Dramatic play, math, science, etc.) Some of the fruit counters are small so be aware of choking hazards, depending on the age/ability of the children you work with. Both of these items are of nice quality.

You’ll find a few different books included in this kit. There are three healthy habits books: “Being Active”, “Drinking Water”, and “Healthy Snacks.”  The colors are vibrant and the pictures are sharp. The words are simple and concise, but send a clear and healthy message. There are also some food group books based on MyPlate. That being said, we were somewhat confused when inside the books still reference and show the Food Guide Pyramid instead of MyPlate. The “MyPlate and You” book is based on MyPlate and breaks down the food groups nicely. One student commented that adding a visual of the actual measurements of food for children to see, rather than just list them. All of the books include great pictures with helpful facts and nice examples of foods. It’s nice that the books use pictures of a wide selection of children. Children can easily identify with people in the book that are “just like me.” There are helper ‘stickers’ that can be placed inside the covers of the books. These helper stickers give teachers ideas on vocabulary to use while reading each book and ways for extension.

The Fit 4 You Teacher’s Quick Reference Guide is very handy for teachers/providers. It lists activity ideas for Physical, Cognitive, and Social/Emotional Development, as well as Nutrition. There are ideas for fitness inside the classroom, outside the classroom, and at home. Each activity lists the NAEYC Accreditation Standards and the Head Start Child Outcomes that are supported by Fit 4 You. Ideas are also given for using activities/materials in multiple ways. Teacher tips and activity extensions are also provided.

This kit helps teachers/providers promote a healthy lifestyle with young children and is available for $295.99.