The holiday season, filled with celebrations, festivals, and family traditions, is just around the corner! These special moments give young children opportunities to experience joy, connection, and new traditions—and celebrations don’t have to be centered around sweets and treats.
Early childhood programs can create healthier celebrations by offering colorful fruits and vegetables, whole-grain snacks, and water alongside favorite holiday foods. Keep portions child-sized and make room for plenty of movement, play, dancing, and fun. Healthy celebrations aren’t about taking away the fun; they help children discover that nutritious foods and physical activity can be part of every celebration.
This season, put the spotlight on togetherness—not just food. Invite families to share songs, stories, games, crafts, cultural traditions, or active activities that are meaningful to them. Be mindful that families have different traditions, cultures, budgets, and dietary needs, and create celebrations where every child feels welcome and included. When educators model balance and focus on connection, children learn an important lesson: Celebrations can be joyful, memorable, and healthy all at the same time.
Need ideas for healthier celebrations? Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC) offers helpful resources for early childhood programs to create healthier environments. Check out this resource!
Looking for additional ways to support the health and well-being of the children and families in your care? We have a few spots open in our October 2026 Go NAPSACC group. Learn more about how Go NAPSACC can help your program turn healthy ideas into action.
For questions about Go NAPSACC, contact Lauri Choate. Director of Programs, at lauri@mochildcareaware.org or 314-754-1603.
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