What is your role and where are you based?

I am a Field Officer in the North West Regional team, I am based in Armidale on Anaiwan Land.

What is your professional background?

I have had around 20 years’ experience in the Early Childhood Sector working in Long Day Care and Preschool, with some experience in OSHC services. I have been an Educational Leader and a Nominated Supervisor and hold a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood.

What are some wellbeing and healthy lifestyle practices you try to follow?

I have been doing CrossFit since 2014 and I have been a CrossFit coach for 2 years. I use My Fitness Pal to help keep track of my food and I love listening to sleep stories on the Calm app to help me get to sleep - so I am passionate about healthy lifestyles!

Education and care services work to promote wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle for all children. What are some of the best wellbeing and healthy lifestyle practices you have observed services embed?

We know that embedding healthy lifestyle practices from a young age, including healthy food choices and physical activity, supports children’s growth and development and also lays a good foundation for lifelong habits. Developing education and understanding of the families also plays a significant role in supporting the healthy eating and active lifestyles of children. Educators work in partnership with their families to promote both physical and mental wellbeing in children’s everyday routine.

I see more and more services using yoga during their rest and relaxation time, with the rise of screen time I feel this is a very beneficial practice to embed.

Other ways services deliver wellbeing and healthy lifestyle learning opportunities for children are:

• Encouraging children to take part in physical activities that matches their interests and abilities
• Talking regularly with children about the importance of physical activity, mental wellbeing and healthy eating
• Offering a range of interactive healthy eating activities i.e. creating a vegetable garden and having cooking experiences etc.

What positive outcomes have you seen in children when services provide access to healthy eating, physical activity, wellbeing and comfort?

I have seen children’s understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle grow more and more during my time in early childhood education. It has been great to see how providing children with opportunities to develop healthy habits has a wider impact, as learnings are shared with their families and it builds a strong foundation for each child’s future. I also feel that services that have minimal screen time for children see better engaged children while playing.