Children’s health matters. Not only is it a topic of vital importance for Atlanta’s parents and families, but it is a critical issue for the short- and long-term health of our community as well. As children’s early experiences help shape their lifelong habits and views on health and wellbeing, it is crucial to introduce and promote key health messages to them today. Healthyville, a nationally touring exhibit created by Stepping Stones Museum for Children, delivers those important health and wellness lessons to children and families in a fun, play-based manner. This is a primary reason why Children’s Museum of Atlanta is bringing Healthyville from January 27-May 28, 2018.
Healthyville is a place for everybody. This bilingual (English/Spanish), interactive exhibit teaches health and wellness lessons through play-filled activities and educational messages that foster learning by doing. Designed primarily for children ages 5 – 12 and their parents, caregivers, and teachers,
Healthyville provides visitors with hands-on opportunities to explore health topics in ways that help them understand their bodies, the importance of making healthy choices, and how to apply these concepts in everyday situations.
Healthyville features engaging content about how the body works and the effects of our positive or negative health choices.
The young “residents” of Healthyville present fun facts about nutrition, fitness, safety, hygiene, and the functions of the body. Meanwhile, Children’s Museum of Atlanta visitors can explore how different activities affect heart rate, scan a variety of foods for nutrition facts, play sugar or salt detective, and ride a bike or row a boat alongside a skeleton. Children can take a look at particle-trapping hairs and boogers inside a giant nose, learn why it’s important to cover the nose during a sneeze, brush and floss teeth inside a giant mouth, get moving on the fitness trail, balance their energy in with their energy out, choose the proper safety equipment, and much, much more!
“We’re can’t wait to kick off 2018 by teaching little ones and families about the importance of being active and making healthy choices,” said Jane Turner, executive director of Children’s Museum of Atlanta. “This exhibit offers a variety of ways for children to engage in the power of play to learn how their bodies respond to the food consumed and daily activities they should be participating in to stay healthy.”
According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, nearly 1 in 3 children in the United States today is overweight or obese. The Alliance states that this current generation could be the first in American history to live shorter lives than their parents. To address this growing public health concern and to encourage healthy living and smart choices around nutrition, fitness, hygiene, and safety, Stepping Stones Museum for Children launched the Healthyville traveling exhibit at its Norwalk, Connecticut, location in February 2014.
“Healthyville grew out of the knowledge that early intervention and prevention are critical for establishing healthy lifestyles,” said Rhonda Kiest, president and chief executive officer of Stepping Stones Museum for Children. “This exhibit is an important aspect of our work to support the growth of healthy children and healthy communities. Healthville has been an extremely popular exhibit at Stepping Stones and we are thrilled to provide this experience to the many people who will interact with the exhibit as it tours the United States.”
In developing the Healthyville traveling exhibit, Stepping Stones worked in partnership with many community organizations and advisors, including the Bright Bodies Program at Yale School of Medicine, the Norwalk Health Department, Norwalk Hospital, Grade A ShopRite, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, the Yale School of Public Health, the Yale School of Medicine, and Whole Foods Market.
Healthyville will be at Children’s Museum of Atlanta through May 28, 2018. This traveling exhibit is presented locally by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life with support from Georgia Power Foundation. Major funding for Children’s Museum of Atlanta is provided by Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Major support provided by theMayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
