UNH Extension Collaborates with NH Head Starts

UNH Extension Health & Well-Being, Nutrition Connections Team supports the health and well-being of people of all ages across New Hampshire, offering education and resources around healthy eating, food access, and physical activity. This vital work cannot be done without our community partners.

In particular, we collaborate with Head Start sites across NH to help support early childhood wellness. One of the ways we do this is by bringing in educational programming for their preschoolers, building on all the great work already being done at these sites.

Husky Reads is a 4-session nutrition education program where children learn about healthy habits, MyPlate, and movement. Students have the opportunity to try a different fruit or vegetable each lesson, which includes bananas, pineapple, clementines, and carrots or snap peas. They explore the food using their five senses - how it smells, tastes, feels, sounds and looks - and vote on whether they liked the tasting. It is always exciting to see so many thumbs up for healthy fruits and veggies! A Franklin Head Start teacher shared, "I can not express enough how much the children enjoy these programs and how much they talk about them long after you're finished. They are more willing to try new things, love moving their bodies in different ways, and the books you choose are fabulous!"

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies is a new curriculum that was recently piloted at Pittsfield and Franklin Head Start sites. This 4-session program integrates mindfulness activities, along with nutrition and physical activity components for children. Lessons include topics like mindful eating, yoga, mood management, describing feelings, patience, kindness, and more! Each lesson includes a story and a related activity that follows. A popular activity was Smile Tag. The Center Director at Pittsfield Head Start shared, "While learning about mood management with Alyssa from UNH Extension, the children in my class played a game called smile tag. On one side of their plate, they drew a grouchy face, while on the other side, the children drew a happy face. The idea was to turn your grouchy face into a happy face. The message was well received by the children. In fact, they had a great time turning their grouchiness into happiness. Giggles were heard throughout the classroom."

Both programs include newsletters that children can take home with them, with the hopes of engaging parents and guardians for continued discussion and learning around the topics. The newsletters include information about what children learned, along with follow-up activities or recipes. In one of the evaluations collected from the Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies program, a parent shared, "We found the information helpful and it gave us a better understanding of emotions and how to express them. We enjoyed "the grouchies" exercise and use it to help express when we're feeling grumpy and cheer each other up. The handouts we're given go up on the fridge or around the house where they can be seen. My son points them out and we talk about what they say."

Partnerships are at the core of the work we do in Extension. Through our partnerships with Head Start, and the many hard-working, talented Head Start teachers, we can help support the health and well-being of NH's little learners and their families.