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CATCH Early Childhood
CATCH Early Childhood (CEC) is designed to nurture a love of physical activity in children ages 3-5. Modeled after the nationally recognized CATCH Program, CEC helps to provide an environment where physical activity, health education, and healthy eating behaviors are valued and taught. Little ones are motivated to walk, run, jump, dance and move their whole bodies while playing and having fun!
 
CEC provides teachers and PE specialists with:
Tools to successfully develop and implement a fun PE/activity program
Convenient and flexible lesson plans featured in a binder with removable pages for easy duplication and sharing
A sample schedule to aid in lesson planning
Activity cards that promote moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)
Relaxation and stretching exercises to assist with cool-downs and transition back to the classroom
A music CD that keeps the class motivated, moving, and having fun
Homework lessons that encourage family involvement
 
CEC provides children with:
Games and activities that foster a love of exercise
The opportunity to refine developing locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative skills
Knowledge to identify basic healthy food choices
Music to sing and dance along to
Snack activities for hungry bellies
Hand puppets and cartoon characters that make learning fun
 
CATCH Early Childhood kit includes:
9 classroom lessons to encourage healthy eating behaviors
120 activities with music aimed at promoting physical activity
English/Spanish Parent Tip Sheets that provide a coloring activity, additional nutrition and physical activity information, and recipe ideas for parents
Extension Activities aimed at promoting repetition of nutrition messages
Curriculum Connectors to extend lessons into other learning centers such as language, math, and science
An adaptive learning component to meet the needs of children with physical or learning disabilities
A list of Spanish and French translations of "key words" from lesson plans to expand children's knowledge and facilitate instruction in bilingual classrooms
 
CATCH Early Childhood "It's fun to be healthy" manual & activity box
Features "It's Fun to Be Healthy" Teacher's Manual, English/Spanish Parent Tip Sheets, and an Activity Box with instruction for over 120 activities to get little ones up and moving (includes music CD).

The CATCH Early Childhood Program was developed by:
  • Children's Physical Activity Specialist, Rae Pica
  • A team at the University of Texas led by Shreela Sharma, PhD, RD, LD
  • Pre-K Music and Movement Specialist, Stasie Shirey Veinotte

"The CATCH Early Childhood program is unique because the classroom curriculum includes stories with puppets and activities that really resonate with 3, 4 and 5 year old children. Lessons share important nutrition concepts and are crafted so that they can be used in any preschool learning center. Children have fun as they learn about healthy eating; and the PE activities, which come with music, keep kids and teachers moving and singing."
—Shreela Sharma, PhD, RD, LD
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Assistant Director, Dietetic Internship Program, Michael and Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living,

The University of Texas, School of Public Health