Healthy Alternatives for Little Ones (HALO)

CINCH has created HALO at Home to help families have quality education despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19). HALO at Home is a free online learning program that empowers preschoolers to make healthy choices by teaching self-esteem, communication, and the difference between healthy and harmful behavior.

HALO at Home for Preschools

Welcome to HALO at Home! Below is the outline for the program. Please complete the Bonita Bunny Pretest before teaching the lessons. Once you have finished all of the video lessons, complete the Bonita Bunny Post-test. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail LangleTR@evms.edu.

HALO Teacher Training

Watch this 1 hour training to learn how to teach HALO independently to your students! Complete THIS QUIZ to receive your certificate for 2 Continuing Education Credits.

HALO Teacher Google Drive: Click HERE to access

Video Lessons | Pre- & Post-tests

Bonita Bunny Story -- Click HERE to download the story

Bonita Bunny Pre-test for Classrooms— Click HERE to download the pre-test; once completed, e-mail to LangleTR@evms.edu

Lesson 1: I Am Special—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 2: I Can—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 3: Families—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 4: Communication—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 5: Feelings (Part 1)—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 6: Feelings (Part 2)—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 7: Body Organs (Healthy Bodies, Healthy Choices)—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 8: No Harmful Drugs—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 9: Drugs Are Harmful—Click HERE to watch

Lesson 10: Stress & Relaxation—Click HERE to watch

Lessons 11&12: Healthy Lifestyles—Click HERE to watch

Bonita Bunny Post-test for Classrooms—Click HERE download the post-test

Classroom Activities

Resources for Parents

Lesson 1: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter
Lesson 2: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter, & I Can Coloring Sheets
Lesson 3: At-Home Activities to Try& HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resources: Safe Sleep, Boost 'Em in the Backseat Flyer& Right Seat, Right Use, Right Time
Lesson 4: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resource: Purposeful Parenting Tips
Lesson 5: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter, Happy/Sad Coloring Sheet for Ages 2-3(for Ages 4-5)
- Resource: Brush, Book, Bed
Lesson 6: At-Home Activities to Try& HALO Family Connection Letter
Lesson 7: At-Home Activities to Try& HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resource: Bike Safety
Lesson 8: Additional Activities& HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resources:Thirdhand Smoke, Secondhand Smoke, E-Cigarettes, & JUUL
Lesson 9: At-Home Activities to Try& HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resource: Smoke-Free Ride Pledges
Lesson 10: At-Home Activities to Try& HALO Family Connection Letter
- Resource: Children and Stress
Lessons 11&12: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter (lesson 11), HALO Family Connection Letter (lesson 12)
- Resources: Rev Your Bev, Healthy Eating, Picky Eaters, & Physical Activity Sheet

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About HALO

HALO is a 12-lesson holistic health curriculum designed to educate children ages 3-6 about healthy choices and lifestyles. Thanks to funding from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, CINCH is able to teach the entire HALO cirriculum for early childhood and education centers across Hampton Roads. As part of the program, CINCH has created and compiled additional resources for parents that relate to specific lessons. Below you will find an outline of the 12 lessons and the additional resources that address related topics.

Lesson 1: I Am Special

During the first week of HALO, children begin to understand their value and ability to make their own decisions. They begin to understand what makes each individual unique.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter

Lesson 2: I Can

Children will begin to understand self-esteem as they realize their worth through the things they can do and also the importance of practicing new and harder skills.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter, & I Can Coloring Sheets

Lesson 3: Families

Children will understand that the basic family unit has people related to one another and is joined by love. The interactions children have with their families help give them a sense of self.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resources: Safe Sleep, Boost 'Em in the Backseat Flyer & Right Seat, Right Use, Right Time

Lesson 4: Communication

Children will learn about communication and its importance in understanding others, feeling understood, and getting along with others. Through practice they will develop the skills to communicate their thoughts and demostrate how listening and understanding others is important when communicating.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter

Resources: Purposeful Parenting Tips

Lesson 5: I Feel (Happy & Sad)

Children will learn to identify emotions and express feelings in a safe and not harmful way. Emotions can be overwhelming, so understanding healthy expressions of their emotions with begin to establish positive mental helath.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try, HALO Family Connection Letter, Happy/Sad Coloring Sheet for Ages 2-3 (for Ages 4-5)

Resource: Brush, Book, Bed

Lesson 6: I Feel (Mad & Scared)

Children will continue to learn to identify emotions and express feelings in a safe and not harmful way. Emotions can be overwhelming so understanding healthy expressions of their emotions with begin to establish positive mental helath.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Lesson 7: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Choices

Children will learn the job each organ has to keep the body working and that the choices they make will help keep their organs healthy. They will be able to see and learn about their internal organs using a life-sized apron.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resource: Bike Safety

Lesson 8: Healthy Choices - No Harmful Drugs

Children will be able to differentiate between healthy and harmful substances by understanding that drugs and alcohol are always harmful for children, even if adults say it feels good or makes them have fun.

Activities: Additional Activities & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resources: Thirdhand Smoke, Secondhand Smoke, E-Cigarettes, & JUUL

Lesson 9: Healthy Choices - Drugs are Dangerous

Children will understand that drugs (and needles) aredangerous. They will learn the difference between medicine for illness and drugs that are harmful to the body.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resource: Smoke-Free Ride Pledges

Lesson 10: Stress & Relaxation

Children will learn how to identify stress and that drugs and alcohol are not a good way to make it better. They will learn ways to relieve stress like streches and breathing exercises.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resource: Children and Stress

Lesson 11: Healthy Lifestyles - Healthy Eating

Children will learn how different foods help fuel the body. They will learn which foods belong in the different food groups and how foods can be healthy or harmful to the body.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resources: Rev Your Bev, Healthy Eating, & Picky Eaters

Lesson 12: Healthy Lifestyles - Physical Activity

Children wil identify and practice fun ways they can get physically active. They will learn how aerobic activities increase their heart rate and breathing and to limit the time they spend inside sitting and watching TV or playing video games.

Activities: At-Home Activities to Try & HALO Family Connection Letter

Resource: Physical Activity Sheet

HALO Graduates

Children's Learning Paradise (Spring '19)
St. Michael Lutheran Preschool (Spring '19)
Cathedral of Faith Christian School (Fall '18)
Children's Harbor Chesapeake (Fall '18)
Deep Creek Academy (Fall '18)
Hampton University Child Development Center (Fall '18)
Learn With Me Academy Lynnhaven (Summer '19)
Learn With Me Academy Mt. Trashmore (Summer '19)
Childcare Network #63 (Summer '19)
Portsmouth Hampton Roads Community Action Program Head Start Inc. (Fall '19)

ECE PROVIDER TRAINING ON TOBACCO

We hosted a staff training about tobacco and its negative effects on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. The training was web-based and included topics such as the dangers of second- and third-hand smoke for kids and information on why you will want a tobacco free policy! You won't want to miss this important information. If you werere unable to login live, the training is now available online to be viewed at your earliest convenience! View the recording here and share with other providers/staff. Additional resources from the training are below:

HALO TEACHER TRAINING

On August 20, 2019, CINCH staff hosted a training designed to help teachers implement HALO's curriculum in an effective, fun, and exciting way. The training reviewed the curriculum, highlighted best practices, and offered tips to help successfully teach the lessons. View the recording here or below. Additional resources from the training are below:

Additional HALO Posters

We created 3 educational posters that recap HALO messages and encourage healthy lifestyles that can be downloaded and used in your early care and education center. Click on the image of each poster below to download.