Move Smart Status

August 27, 2015

The Berry Patch Professional Child Care Center earns ‘MOve Smart’ status

Center promotes an active lifestyle with physical activity standards for child care

The Berry Patch has adopted new guidelines for physical activity to assist child care providers in guiding children’s optimal physical growth and health and further promote an active lifestyle.

The Missouri MOve Smart Guidelines, developed by the MO Department of Health & Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (CFNA), are designed to boost the physical activity practices and improve the health and wellness of children ages 2-5. The guidelines include recommendations for total amounts of structured and unstructured physical activity, indoor physical activity, learning integrated physical activity, screen time, staff participation in physical activity and staff role modeling of an active lifestyle.

“This center’s accomplishment demonstrates a commitment to the health of the children in care,” said Ann McCormack, Bureau Chief of CFNA. “Children who are active throughout the day are establishing life-long healthy habits that help to prevent obesity and reduce their risk for chronic diseases as they age.  Children who are active are more likely to become active adults.”

The MOve Smart program is voluntary and open to all licensed and license-exempt child care facilities throughout Missouri. The program is offered at three levels: minimum, which closely follows the minimum state licensing requirements, intermediate and advanced. Each level requires increasingly higher physical activity standards, and only centers that meet the intermediate or advanced levels are recognized.

The Berry Patch Professional Child Care Center, LLC has achieved the intermediate level.

More information about the MOve Smart Guidelines can be found at: http://health.mo.gov/movesmart.