We’ve joined “Let’s Move!”

First Lady Michelle Obama Applauds Learning Care Group’s Commitment to Creating Healthier Child Care Environments

“Healthier eating and regular physical activity are becoming the new norm for children across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “I am thrilled about Learning Care Group’s new commitment to implement best practices in schools across our country to instill healthy habits in our children from a young age.”

—The White House, Office of the First Lady; as featured in the National Journal

Michelle Obama Busts a Move with Giant Dancing Vegetables

(BOWIE, Md.) — The First Lady had traveled to La Petite Academy in the Washington suburbs to announce it would be joining 900 others from the national Learning Care Group in the adoption of new health and fitness guidelines for the children in their care. The criteria aligns with the goals of Obama’s initiative, aimed at curbing childhood obesity.

Obama, characters Colby Carrot, Brian Broccoli, Erica Eggplant and their human friends led several dozen children in stretches and dance. She told them how important it was to eat healthy and shared that she loves spinach.

— ABC News

Major Childcare Centers Adopting Michelle Obama’s Health Guidelines

(BOWIE, Md.) The Learning Care Group agreed Thursday to limit TV and computer time for children, serve fruits and-or vegetables at every meal, eliminate fried foods, replace sugary drinks with water or plain, low-fat milk and provide at least an hour of daily physical activity. It also will allow mothers to provide breast milk for their kids and accommodate those who want to breast feed.

Mrs. Obama joined the Super Sprowtz, vegetable mascots who teach children about nutrition and wellness, in an exercise dance with 4- and 5-year-olds at one of the Learning Care Group’s centers near Washington on Thursday. She also shared an afternoon snack of carrot and celery sticks and grape tomatoes with a younger group of kids. The first lady told the youngsters that they, too, will grow up to be healthy and strong if they eat well and stay active.

“These are grown-up vegetables,” Mrs. Obama said of the broccoli, carrot and eggplant costumed-characters she had just danced with. “They started out as little bitty vegetables just like you and because they kept eating right and exercising they grew up to be really big and strong.”

The Learning Care Group says it provides early education and child care services to more than 100,000 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 13 years at its 900 centers. They operate under five brand names: Childtime Learning Centers, Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers, The Children’s Courtyard, Montessori Unlimited and La Petite Academy.

— Associated Press

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama gives out high fives after learning a dance and exercise with children at a La Petite Academy child care center in Bowie, MD

February 27, 2014. Obama

made the visit to highlight the

commitment that the parent

company, Learning Care Group,

has made to the child care best

practices in her Let’s Move!

Initiative for children’s health.

(REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

SOURCE: Reuters