Through the Let’s Move!  Child Care initiative, providers are encouraged to limit the amount of time children spend watching television, videos, and DVDs and playing video games or using a computer.  Child care providers play a key role in children’s lives, and they know that more time spent in front of a screen is less time engaging in active play.  In fact, too much screen time has been linked to childhood obesity.  

That’s why the Washington State Active Bodies, Active Minds (WAABAM) program is dedicated to provided online resources and materials to help child care providers learn more about encouraging physical activity and limiting screen time.

To reduce screen time in your child care setting, check out these helpful online resources: 

• The WAABAM website provides sample policies for reducing screen time in child care settings, suggests ways to reduce screen time and encourage physical activity at home and at child care, and includes educational materials for a range of audiences. To learn more, visit www.waabam.org.
• A toolkit specifically for child care providers to reduce screen time is available in English and in Spanish and can be used at workshops and in trainings.  To view the toolkit, click here.
• Free online trainings developed by WAABAM, including the Media Aware Child Care online training. More materials are available for child care providers here.

What are you doing to give children at your child care center more opportunities for active play?  Share your tips with us on Twitter using @LetsMove.