PANCO

Physical and Nutrition Coordinator 

The PANCo promotes positive nutrition: By focusing on achieving a whole setting environment that promotes healthy eating for children and their families.


They promote physical activities: By having an understanding of the importance of children’s physical development and emphasizing the skills and tools required to ensure children can access a wide range of activities and active play.


Change is managed: By examining factors which influence well-being within the setting and focusing on strategies for implementing change that encourage healthy nutrition and activity.


The aim is to:

 

  • Put the well-being of the child at the center of practice by  developing a specialist PANCO role. 
  • By supporting the wellbeing of the children, families and staff. By promoting the framework and spreading the knowledge through activities.
  • By working together as a whole setting establishing close working relationships with a range of different partners which will include other professionals.

 

PANCO Policy

Physical Activity

The government recommendation is that pre-school age children SHOULD be active for at least 3 hours, spread out throughout their day.


Currently, nationally in the age range of 2-4 year olds only 9% of boys and 10% of girls achieve the governments recommended levels of physical activity.

Weight Matters

  • One in five children in Reception (age 4-5 years) is overweight or obese.
  • By Year 6 (age 10-11 years) this has risen to 1 in 3!
  • In 2015 62.9% of adults in the UK were overweight or obese (67.8% men and 58.1% women)

Fat, Salt and Sugar!

Fat, salt and sugar are all needed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, as a nation we eat far too much which can have a negative effect on health.


FAT – too much can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol. It can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

SALT – too much increases risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

SUGAR – too much can lead to weight gain and tooth decay.

Authority Schemes

Central Bedfordshire Council and the government have several schemes in place to promote good nutrition and physical activities in the Under 5's. There are also schemes available for children over 5 and their families.


Here are some of the following Schemes: HENRY, Live well Plate, Change for Life, Xplorers, Eat Better-Start Better.

Teddy Tennis

As part of our PANCo initiative, Toddington Childcare & Forest School introduced ‘Teddy Tennis’, a multi-sports programme for children aged 2-5 years. We run a Teddy Tennis session once a week for both our Zebra and Giraffe Room children to help promote their physical activity levels, which also helps to support building our children’s confidence, turn taking and team and social skills. 

Sport Music and Fun for the Very Young

Teddy Tennis is taught using the Visual Auditory Kinesthetic (VAK) learning style.

Visual Learning

It involves the use of seen or observed things, including pictures, demonstrations and videos. Every Teddy Tennis lesson uses inspiration pictures of teddy bear characters playing Teddy Tennis…. and of course every Teddy Tennis coach demonstrates how things should be done correctly.   

Auditory Learning

 It involves the transfer of information through listening: to the spoken word, and of music and sounds. Every Teddy Tennis lesson involves music that was specifically written by Teddy Tennis and provides the correct rhythm and timing for doing each game or exercise; the words of the music tell the children what to do.

Kinesthetic Learning

It involves physical participation – doing, practical hands on experiences, and taking part in coordinated movement, racket and hand to eye skills. Every Teddy Tennis lesson is fully interactive and involves having a lot of FUN.
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