Participation in SmartStart for Kids! is designed to be a hands-on approach to health and fitness education.
Students participate in a specially selected set of activities that focus on health and fitness, providing them with the opportunity to develop their understanding of the importance of good health. SmartStart for Kids! aims to provide a range of tools that will assist each child, their parents and the school to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing.
SmartStart activities are conducted on the school grounds with a teacher present and cover a variety of important health and fitness components including, body composition, power and coordination, cardio-fitness, strength and flexibility.
Groups are small, and individualised attention is provided to students, to ensure they enjoy the experience and learn about looking after themselves.
From the assessments we can provide parents with comprehensive results of your child’s health and fitness profile. The reports show where your child sits compared to both their school peers and the Territory average and are key in providing you with an in-depth review of your child’s health. If a child participates in the program over a number of years the reports will track changes and allow you to see improvement or, in some cases, decline in your child’s health, specific to key areas.
Need HEELP?
If your child’s results sit below peer averages, or if you are worried about the health and wellbeing of your child we can heelp! HEELP (Healthy Eating Exercise and Living Program) is a program designed to help children who need it most. HEELP is NOT a program for overweight children only. Through participation in the SmartStart assessments, we are able to identify children who are either “at-risk” or “high-risk” of lifestyle related illnesses through poor results in any area of body composition (overweight OR underweight) and physical fitness competencies (cardio fitness and functional coordination). The program invites the students to attend a series of “Healthy Living and Activity Sessions” held privately in small groups after school each week, where only these high-risk children attend. The sessions focus on delivering intensive, fun games and activities, in a supportive and educational environment away from the children’s fitter and sometimes intimidating peers.
Family activity days are also organised to engage the parents and other siblings.
Each child receives a full SmartStart for Kids! fitness and nutrition folder that contains advice and information for their parents; specially developed diaries to help target daily nutrition and physical activity levels, the use of a pedometer, certificates, stickers and prizes.
In an independent evaluation, participation in HEELP has been shown to improve children’s attitudes and behaviours to healthy eating and physical activity, as well as improving self-esteem, confidence and even academic performance.
If you want to learn more about HEELP or anything related to SmartStart please do not hesitate to contact us.