Makoura centre ticks all the boxes

HAPPY HEARTS: Tiana Marshall (front, left), Manu Kauika (holding certificate) and Saoirse Doyle. Hunter Johnson (centre, left) Eryn Woodcock and Vyolet Banner. Brighton Smee (back, left) and Kylie Peck, at Makoura Community Early Childhood Centre celebrate receiving a Gold Healthy Heart Award from the Heart Foundation. PHOTO/WTA100314ABHEALTHYHEART

Kids eating their veges may be a rare sight in some places but not at Makoura Early Childhood Centre.

The centre has just received the Heart Foundation Pa-Harakeke Heart Award - the foundation's highest award at early childhood education level - for its impressive work in creating a heart healthy environment.

Mariana Alletson, Heart Foundation Health Promotion co-ordinator Manawatu, who presented the award on Monday, said the achievement was held in very high regard.

To get it, a centre needed to have food, nutrition and physical activity policies, provide healthy snacks, curriculum linked activities, plus collaboration with parents and professional development in nutrition and physical activity for the centre staff.

The centre ticked all the boxes and encouraged healthy eating at the centre and at home.

Installing healthy habits at a young age was very important for children's health, said Miss Alletson.

"Get it right before five means you can get it right for life."

She said getting the kids to eat healthy food was actually quite easy, especially at Makoura where they have a garden.

"Kids are more likely to eat food they have grown.

"They grow the food so they are more interested in their food as a result."

Getting parents on board was sometimes difficult, said Miss Alletson.

"If the child is learning about it at the centre, it has to be sustainable and reinforced at home.

"It's really important for it to be successful."

Philippa Walker, a teacher and co-ordinator of the heart award programme, said most parents were supportive and it wasn't hard to get the kids eating well.

She said the children loved going to the garden and orchard and making their own food from it.

"This morning, the kids picked the apples off the tree and made apple juice for their apple and bran muffins. They loved it."

The kids really absorb the health eating message, she said.

"It's really important, it's their foundation for life."

The centre has gym once a week, bush walks, games in the school field, and is involved in Rippa Rugby.

She said it had been a long road to get to this point.

"We did have the basic level and we worked all of last year to this one."

The Healthy Heart Award programme, which receives some Ministry of Health funding, was established to assist childcare centres to create an environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity to children and families.