Read examples of obesity prevention initiatives and strategies for educators, health providers and policy makers of rural communities.
Childhood Obesity Prevention Toolkit
For Rural Communities

We've got tools and fun ideas to help parents encourage healthy habits at home, from healthy eating activities to ways to build good social skills and nurture positive behavior.
Healthy Eating Handouts & Resources
See a variety of printouts and links to more resources to help you and your child make healthy eating choice every day.

Nemours' KidsHealth.org
Get answers and help on preparing meals and snacks, shopping and more from KidsHealth.org, the No.1 most-visited children’s health information site created by the experts at Nemours.
More Resources
- Team Nutrition: a comprehensive plan from the USDA to promote the nutritional health of children, involving schools, parents and the community
- We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition): information and resources to help children stay at a healthy weight
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC): supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income women, infants and children
Physical Activity Handouts & Resources
Find out how to get your family moving in the right direction with
these downloads.

From Nemours' KidsHealth.org
- Kids and Exercise: the importance and benefits of physical activity for children, from Nemours' KidsHealth.org
More Resources
- Delaware State Parks Trail Challenge: take on your local state park trails
- National Center for Safe Routes to School: programs that enable and encourage kids to walk and bicycle to school
- We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition): info and resources to help children maintain at a healthy weight
Screen Time Handouts & Resources
Browse resources on media, television, and children.
- Media Awareness Network: find out how to help increase your child’s media literacy.
- Common Sense Media: includes reviews and ratings on almost every video game and movie on the market.
- Over the Rainbow: an online magazine dedicated to media literacy for the whole family.
- Parents Television Council: educates on issues such as sex, violence and profanity.
- Parents’ Choice: provides reliable, unbiased information about children’s media and toys.
Sleep Routines Handouts & Resources
Get answers and help on sleep for kids of all ages from the experts at Nemours’ KidsHealth.org.
Emotional Wellness Handouts & Resources
Find a list of tools and resources to promote healthy social skills, emotional wellness, and life skills.
Social Development
- Bright Futures: materials for families on mental, physical and emotional health issues
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning: resources for families to improve social skills and emotional development in young children
- Child Guidance Resource Centers (CGRC): quality care and educational services for children, adolescents and families with mental health, developmental disabilities and residency needs in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland
- Devereux Early Childhood Initiative (DECI): partnerships to promote young children's social skills and emotional development, foster resilience and build skills for school success
Positive Relationships
- Just in Time Parenting eNewsletters
- Triple P (Positive Parenting Program): simple routines and small changes that can make a big difference
Emotional Development
From Nemours
- Nemours KidsHealth: Emotions and Behavior: help your child cope with life's ups and downs, from divorce to depression
More Resources
- Just in Time Parenting eNewsletters
- Search Institute: Developmental Asset Lists: building blocks to help children grow up healthy, caring and responsible
- Triple P (Positive Parenting Program): simple routines and small changes that can make a big difference to your family
Self-Control Skills
- Bright Futures: addresses children's health needs in the context of family and community
- Just in Time Parenting eNewsletters
- Triple P (Positive Parenting Program): simple routines and small changes that can make a big difference to your family
Health Literacy
- Helping Teens Take Charge of Their Health Care and other helpful articles on teaching youth life skills are available on KidsHealth from Nemours.
- Health Communication, Health Literacy and e-Health: resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help patients obtain, process and understand basic health information and services.