Healthy hearts tick for Wairarapa's toddlers

Healthy Hearts are in abundance in Early Childhood Centres in Wairarapa, it seems.

Three early childhood centres were awarded with their Healthy Heart Awards from the Heart Foundation this week.

The Cubbyhouse Childhood Centre and Good Beginnings Infants and Toddlers Centre from Masterton and Greytown Kindergarten have been working tirelessly over the past few years to make their early childhood education services (ECE) healthier places for their children to grow and learn, according to Manawatu Health Promotion co-ordinator Lucy Olsen.

All three ECE have achieved a Pa-Harakiki (Gold) level Healthy Heart Awards, which is the highest award available from the Heart Foundation.

The Healthy Heart Award: Tohu Manawa Ora-Kohungahunga programme supports early childhood centres to create an environment that promotes nutrition, health and physical activity on a day-to-day basis.

The centres developed edible gardens, nutrition and physical activity policies, revamped their menus or developed lunch box guidelines.

The Cubbyhouse Early Childhood Centre hosted a professional development session around music and movement at their ECE service during their Healthy Heart award journey.

This involved inviting ECE service teachers from around the region to attend.

"They also take great pride in their new edible garden they have developed while taking part in the Tui garden challenge.

"The children plant, water and maintain the garden all while learning valuable life skills and how food is grown."