CATCH stands for Coordinated Approach to Child Health. The CATCH Early Childhood (CEC) includes 9 nutrition-based lessons and 10 gardening-based lessons that encourage healthy eating behaviors. The curriculum uses a variety of teaching strategies including individual practice, large group discussion, educational games, and gardening.

The nutrition lessons are called Good Food Kids. Good Food Kids introduces two characters that help teach the students about healthy eating habits. The characters also introduce GO Foods and WHOA Foods. GO Foods are food that can be eaten most of the time and WHOA Foods are only eaten once in a while.

The gardening lessons are called Garden Kids. Garden Kids introduce the children to a character named Tom the Tomato, who has a reoccurring appearance throughout the gardening lessons. Tom the Tomato teaches the children the fundamentals of good gardening. They participate in hands on gardening experiments; they learn about photosynthesis and what plants need to thrive. Plus they get to dig in the dirt!

The goal of CATCH “is to positively impact children’s health behaviors and improve preschool health environment. It seeks to influence and change preschool health policies and practices in order to reduce and eliminate health risk factors and risk-related behaviors for kids.”

For more information please contact Dave Hart.