Model outdoor environment for young children takes shape

Precious Memories Preschool in Asheboro, one of three child care centers selected as a model demonstration site by the Randolph County Partnership for Children, is currently in their second year of implementing the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) project. The project involves improving the child care center’s outdoor learning environment over a three-year period. The long-term goal of the project is to reverse the trend toward childhood obesity by improving outdoor environments in child care centers and conducting related teacher education to support children’s physical activity and healthy eating.

With assistance from the Partnership and a design team from the Natural Learning Institute at N.C. State University, Precious Memories has developed a design and  is making improvements to its outdoor play area, including installing a bike path, creating edible gardens, and more, as part of the project.

Precious Memories will hold a work day to make additional improvements to the outdoor space on Saturday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Donations of bulbs, trees, bushes, mulch, lumber, metal scraps, ceramic and glass tiles, quick-setting cement, and other building and gardening materials are being sought, and volunteers with experience in master gardening, landscape architecture, carpentry, construction, or related areas of expertise are needed. If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation, please contact Elizabeth Glessner at 629-2128 ext. 12.

Preventing Obesity by Design, funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., is the result of a partnership between the Natural Learning Initiative, NC State University, and the North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. Ten Partnerships were selected to identify three child care centers in their county as model demonstration sites.