Simple Action Steps for Children's Health
How you can create lasting change in your community
» NEW! Download the Healthy Kids Action Guide. Distribute the action guide to school and community leaders!
1. Stay Informed! The first and most important step you can take to get involved is to make sure you are informed about kids’ health issues. Sign up to receive the latest health news, updates and ways to take action to improve children’s health. Click here and sign up today!
2. Conduct a survey to determine how much junk food is sold in your school’s vending machines, then compile and report the results to your school officials. Visit www.cspinet.org/schoolfoods to download a sample survey and reporting materials for ideas on how to get started.
3. Encourage your school to ban soda and/or junk food. Download sample legislation modeled after the LA Unified School District’s Obesity Prevention Motion at http://www.nojunkfood.org/policy/lausd_obprevfinal.html. Many school districts have adopted similar programs-- encourage your school board to implement a similar ban.
4. Organize a Student Nutrition Action Day (SNAC) at your school. Invite a nutritionist and/or your local health food store to talk about good nutrition and the impact of unhealthy foods on the body. Provide samples of healthy and organic snacks and let students see for themselves that good-for-you snacks actually taste good too!
5. Encourage your school to become green flag-certified. Go to the Green Flag Schools website at www.greenflagschools.org and begin by downloading the full pdf version of the Start-Up Kit, Fact Sheets, and Green Flag School Environmental Survey.
6. Volunteer to organize or head-up an after school sports or yoga program in your school to help kids become more physically active. Click here for ideas you can start implementing today!
7. Start an organic vegetable garden at your school. There are numerous resources and websites for help on how to get started and how to find funding at http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/how_res.html
8. Apply to Vitamin Relief USA to bring a vitamin program to your school in which students will receive a daily multivitamin. Begin by finding a champion teacher, administrator or principal who will advocate with you and help you identify businesses or organizations who who will help fund the program. Visit http://www.thehealthyfoundation.org for more information.
9. Help set up a Farm-to-Cafeteria program in your community. These programs help provide local schools with fresh, locally-grown produce by connecting schools to nearby farmers.
10. Write a letter to your school and city officials and encourage them to begin reducing pesticides and other toxins in your school. Download sample letters at www.local-motion.org/ssupdate.html, and tailor them to fit your school's and community's needs.
