IT'S EASY TO GO NAPSACC!

Go NAPSACC enhances state-level efforts to foster early care and education (ECE) environments that promote children's well-being through tailored support for ECE programs and consultants and an online suite of tools and resources.

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Why Go NAPSACC?

Why GO NAPSACC Video

Whether you're an early childhood educator or consultant who supports quality improvement in ECE programs, Go NAPSACC makes it easier than ever to give the children in your community a healthy start.

WHAT IS OUR FOCUS?

Explore how ECE professionals use Go NAPSACC to improve their practices, policies, and environments to meet our evidence-based practices in these eight areas.

Child Nutrition
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Foods Provided
  • Beverages Provided
  • Feeding Environment
  • Feeding Practices
  • Menus & Variety
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"Me super encanto el programa Go NAPSACC en el entrenamiento de nutricion. Yo y mis maestra aprendimos mucho e implementamos estrategias, nos sentamos a discutir el menu de los niños y seguimos trabajando para que nuestros niños sean independientes al servirse sus alimentos y estamos trabajando para hablar mas hacerca de los alimentos saludables."
Translated to English: "I really loved the Go NAPSACC program nutrition training. My teachers and I learned a lot and implemented strategies, we sat down to discuss the children's menu, and we continue working so that our children are independent when serving themselves their food and we are working to talk more about healthy foods."
- Cyntia, Early Childhood Educator Eden Child Care, Indiana
"Providers invited families to share healthy menu ideas from home. The ideas were added to the menu and named after the child. It was a great way to add family into the culture of the program. The program also maintained the nutritional practices she was hoping for."
- Shannon Carr, Consultant, RISE partnering with Child Care Aware of Missouri, Missouri
Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Breastfeeding Environment
  • Breastfeeding Support Practices
  • Foods Provided
  • Feeding Practices
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"We added a Wellness Room where mothers (staff and families) can privately breastfeed or pump breast milk and store milk throughout the day. The wellness room also is an area where staff members can have a few minutes to relax, de-stress, and have quiet time."
- Marceinia Peoples, Early Childhood Educator, Forrest Park/Greenville Preschool, Arkansas
"When we first started working with Go NAPSACC we knew we had many ideas on how we wanted to grow our program. The problem was narrowing it down and figuring Because of Go NAPSACC and its breastfeeding topic, we were able to create a breastfeeding area within our Center that is worthy of our parents use and the available books and stuffed animals that so beautifully explain the process are now provided for the small children that accompany our parents."
- Early Childhood Educator, Pacelli Catholic Schools Early Childhood Center, Wisconsin
Farm to ECE
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Local Foods Provided
  • Gardening
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"I have used Go NAPSACC in my program for over 6 years. My favorite self-assessment was Farm to ECE. My program implements all of the Farm to ECE elements and our favorite is growing our own produce both inside and outside. Over the winter we grew salad greens in our hydroponic garden and enjoyed them at lunchtime. We also grew and tried highly nutritious micro greens. Currently we are growing the herb dill to use to make homemade refrigerator pickles!!! I absolutely love teaching my students about fruits and vegetables with hands on experiential activities."
- Lindsey, Browns Family Childcare LLC, Pennsylvania
"Go NAPSACC Farm to ECE has been a success at our childcare center by teaching us about all the gardening tips and tricks so that we could teach our children. We have started a garden and planted seeds and we have read books about plants, leaves, stems, roots, trees, flowers and compost bins. It's so nice watching them learn and absorb all the material. We have started a new thing called 'Try it Tuesdays' where we will have a new fruit or vegetable for the children to try at snack time. I cannot wait for our garden to grow and to teach the children how to tend to it."
- Lorisa Less, Early Childhood Educator, Nurturing Roots Childcare Center, Maine
Oral Health
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Toothbrushing
  • Food & Beverages Provided
  • Daily Practices
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"We implemented toothbrushing. Oral health is very important and we see children that have major oral issues that do not get the medical attention they need. We hope in educating parents on the importance of toothbrushing and implementing it in our program that we will start to see change in oral health in our program."
- Lisa McGhee, Early Childhood Educator, Southside Preschool, Arkansas
"We practice morning, noon, and after snack toothbrushing. We stress the importance of toothbrushing to the parents. The outcome has been great."
- Inger Holloway, Early Childhood Educator, Annie Lee's Childcare, Alabama
Infant & Child Physical Activity
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Time Provided
  • Indoor Play Environment
  • Daily Practices
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"A lot more physical activity in our program ! Kids are happier and eat more at meals. As they were more active and eating better they feel better and the parents could tell a difference!"
- Virginia Jackson, Early Childhood Educator, Little Peoples Christian Academy, Mississippi
"Physical Activity is now more planned and organized, not just open the doors to the playground and let them go. We are taking more things outside (Parachutes, balls, hula hoops, etc) and coming up with more unique ways to use them."
- Louise McCoy, Early Childhood Educator, CCCEC/Beginnings Preschool, Arkansas
Outdoor Play & Learning
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Outdoor Playtime
  • Outdoor Play Environment
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"Children enjoy going outside now whether it's structured, organized, or free play they enjoy the setting and equipment to choose from."
- Early Childhood Educator, Louisiana
"The one big change we made was our classroom extended to the outdoors. Our physical activities have increased due to this change. We had artificial grass installed in our playground and a new sandbox was put in, which made it better for outdoor play... It makes me smile to see the children having fun and learning with a great big smile on their face!"
- Suzanne, Early Childhood Educator, Oyama Community Preschool, Arizona
Screen Time
Evidence-Based Practices Address
  • Availability
  • Daily Practices
  • Education & Professional Development
  • Policy
"I was able to write our written policy for child screen time, by using the template on the Go NAPSACC website. The template made it so easy to write our policy. Thank you!"
- Jose, Open Hands CDC LLC, Wisconsin
"Yo casi no uso televicion con los nino durante la semana , pero Go NAPSACC, me ayudo a crear mas conciencia de lo que hago durante el dia y a no usar ni la televisión, computadora, tabltas, o telefonos cellulares con los ninos."
Translated to English: "I hardly use television with the children during the week, but Go NAPSACC helped me create more awareness of what I do during the day and to not use television, computers, tablets, or cell phones with the children."
- Teresa, Early Childhood Educator, Indiana
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How Does It Work?

Go NAPSACC walks early childhood educators through 5 simple
steps to make healthy changes to their ECE program.

Step 1:
Assess Take a self-assessment to find areas for improvement.
Step 2:
Plan Use the action planning tool to get set up for success.
Step 3:
Take Action Use our library of tips and materials to put plans into action.
Step 4:
Learn More Take a Go NAPSACC training and learn new skills to help kids be healthy.
Step 5:
Keep It Up Assess again, celebrate progress and plan the next move!
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