WELLNESS IN THE SCHOOLS

creating healthier places in which to learn

Parent Resources


Below we’ve listed a few of our favorite resources for parents in the areas of food, fitness, and wellness:

Food and Fitness:

  • Be Fit NYC
    • New York City’s resource for free and low cost fitness activities for kids.  Search by borough or by interest areas to find the fun activity that’s right for you and your family. (Parents can check Shape Up NY on the same site for free adult fitness resources.)
  • CHALK (Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids)
    • Based in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan, chalk helps kids get active and healthy. Be sure to check out their piece, “10 Habits of Healthy Kids”

Media:
  • Books for adults, families, and young children
  • Magazines
  • Movies


Technology:

Interactive Websites:

  • Truth on Health
    • Health-based website addressing exercise and nutrition, spearheaded by Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics.  Who wouldn’t want to take some healthy advice from an accomplished professional athlete nicknamed, “The Truth?” For kids with an additional section for parents.
  • Nourish Interactive
    • Nourish Interactive features free printables, healthy tips and recipes, and nutrition tools and games.  There are separate sections with all of the above for both kids and adults. Available in English and Spanish.
  • Zis Boom Bah
    • Award winning hands-on site that allows children to pick and plan their own meals and provides online tools, including recipes and activities for all seasons to help families create a healthy lifestyle.
  • Time Out NY Kids
    • Where can I find a kid’s cooking school? What can I do with my kids on Saturday for under $20? Find out the best resources for all things kids on this site. Sign up for the “Best Free and Fun Things to Do This Weekend” newsletter which is delivered to your inbox every Thursday.


Smartphone Apps:

  • Fooducate
    • Use your smartphone camera to scan bar codes of food items and this app rates your choice based on healthfulness of the ingredients with a grade from A to F.  It also offers healthier alternatives for the foods that get not so great grades.
  • Munch 5-A-Day
    • Track daily food and veg intake with this animated, fun app.  Features options to share progress with others to receive encouragement, set custom goals and graphs track progress.


Farm Visits:

  • Added Value, 370 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
    • The goal of this Red Hook Brooklyn non-profit is to promote the sustainable develop of the area through the education, and support, of local teens.  Added Value not only helps to revitalize local parks and vacant properties, but they provide educational programs to local elementary schools and train volunteers to build upon their foundation.  Currently Added Value has three main initiatives: Growing a Just Food System, Youth Empowerment; and Farm-Based Learning.
  • Brooklyn Grange, 37-18 Northern Blvd  Queens, NY
    • Brooklyn Grange is a commercial organic farm located on New York City rooftops. They grow vegetables in the city and sell them to local people and businesses. The goal is to improve access to very good food, to connect city people more closely to farms and food production, and to make urban farming a viable enterprise and livelihood.
  • Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, 44 Eagle St Brooklyn, NY
    • On the shoreline of the East River and with a sweeping view of the Manhattan skyline, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm is a 6,000 square foot green roof organic vegetable farm located atop a warehouse rooftop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.During New York City’s growing season, the farmers at Eagle Street Rooftop Farm supply a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, an onsite farm market, and bicycle fresh produce to area restaurants.
  • Katchkie Farm, 34 Fischer Road, Kinderhook, NY
    • A sixty-acre organic vegetable farm in Kinderhook, New York.  The Sylvia Center’s programs at Katchkie Farm immerse children in the process of growing, harvesting, cooking, and eating fresh healthy food
  • Queens County Farm Museum, 75-30 Little Neck Pkway, Floral Park, NY 11004
    • The Queens County Farm sits on the largest tract of undisturbed farmland in the five boroughs. Open for visits, includes a wine shop, egg sales and compost drop off.
  • Randall's Island Children's Learning Garden, inside Icahn Stadium, 20 Randall's Island
    • Randall's Island Children's Learning Garden, created as a result of the combined efforts of GrowNYC and the Randall's Island Sports Foundation, is a 3,000 square foot urban farm that aims to provide schools and groups who lack on-site or proximal open space with the experience of environmental education and nutritional learning by growing, harvesting, and eating garden-fresh produce.
  • Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road  Pocantico Hills, NY 10591
  • Click here for a great list of family friendly farms where you can pick your own fruits and vegetables

NYC Greenmarkets