Blog

On October 19, Healthi Kids hosted their first-ever Infant & Toddler Play Day at three locations across Rochester: Phyllis Wheatley Library, Sully Branch Library, and Lincoln Toy Library. Around 30 children and their caregivers took part in fun, hands-on activities that encouraged healthy relations...

On Wednesday, September 25, something deeply disturbing happened in our city. A group of men arrived at 20 1st St, armed with riding mowers and weed whackers, and destroyed over 1,000 square feet of a beloved pollinator garden. This garden, carefully tended by the Taproot Collective for over seven y...

Growing up in the Highbridge neighborhood in the Bronx, Curtis Birthwright could see Yankee Stadium from his window. He could hear the roar of the games. As a Little Leaguer with the Colonial Park Yankees, he dreamed of playing in the major leagues – as a Yankee, of course. But he also played bas...

Healthi Kids will present its second Playful Learning Summit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, at the Memorial Art Gallery. This sold-out, day-long conference emphasizes the power of play and creativity inside and outside the classroom to spur physical activity, social-emotional growth...

It’s budget season in Albany! And that means it’s critical to continue to tell our legislators that whole child health matters. The $299 billion dollar state budget covers spending in a variety of areas including health, education, and aid to localities. In other words – it makes sure money moves to...

Excitement filled the air on February 7th as nearly 60 sites across the City of Rochester joined together for the international celebration of play called Global School Play Day. Organized by Healthi Kids in collaboration with the City of Rochester’s Department of Recreation and Human Services an...

It’s been celebrated in 75 countries. Now the Global School Play Day is coming to nearly 60 sites in the City of Rochester. To bring this event to Rochester, Healthi Kids collaborated with the City of Rochester’s Department of Recreation and Human Services and the Rochester City School District,...

As we near the end of sunshiny summer days, we reflect on a transformative season filled with impactful efforts by our Healthi Kids Coalition. Healthy Learning Environments: We partnered with schools like 10, 54, 33, and 19, enhancing back-to-school events with wholesome snacks and invigoratin...

Healthi Kids, in collaboration with the Strong National Museum of Play, will present the Healthi Kids Playful Learning Summit, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, August 21, 2023, at the museum. This unique, day-long conference will delve into the immense potential of playful learning as a catal...

Date:        Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time:        12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Place:        Intersection of Arnett Blvd & Warwick Ave (310 Arnett Blvd, Rochester, NY 14619) Families and residents of the 19th Ward neighborhood, and a team of community partners* will join together on Saturday, June 10 to t...

Dear Director Reeve,  On behalf of the Healthi Kids Coalition, we urge you to allow a range of beneficial community garden activities on land owned by the Department of Transportation to promote whole child health in the City of Rochester. These activities should include play areas, events and ce...

We at Healthi Kids accomplished a lot last quarter! We partnered with organizations to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity in schools and underserved communities. We provided supplies and technical assistance to five schools, organized physical activity professional development sessio...

March 10 is National SEL Day! This year, we are teaming up with Children's Institute to share the following resources on social emotional learning with you! What is social emotional learning (SEL)? Social emotional learning is how youth learn and gain the skills needed to regulate their em...

Recess is an important aspect of a child's education, and education research has shown that it plays a vital role in children's social, cognitive, and physical development and health. Social development is an important component of recess: Children learn important social skills, such as cooperati...

Throughout the past month, Healthi Kids and our partners at the New York State Association for Infant Mental Health (NYS-AIMH) have been busy raising awareness with state policymakers about the importance of infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) and supporting those who work with an...

Exhibit Helps to Cultivate Commitment to More Playful Lives for Children WHEN:         July 11, 2022 – September 30, 2022 During library hours: Monday 9:00 am – 8:30 pm Tuesday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Wednesday 9:00 am – 8:30 pm Thursday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm...

Parents and guardians have the power to advance the changes you want to see happen within the Rochester City School District. The RCSD Board of Education is recruiting RCSD parents and legal guardians for Board committees for the 2022-2023 school year. Parents who participate serve as advisory m...

According to Reconnect Rochester, in Monroe County from 2012-2021, over 5,000 crashes involved bicyclists and pedestrians, and ten people die on our local streets every year as a result of these crashes. To help resolve this issue, School #17 families, residents of the JOSANA neighborhood, an...

  Tell Monroe County to put kids first in their comprehensive plan! The time to prioritize children has never been greater. By building a playful and kid-friendly county and we can prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of all children in the county. COVID-19 has impacted kids physi...

Student health and wellness has been prioritized across the Rochester City School District. Last Thursday, June 23rd, the RCSD School Board unanimously approved the newly revised District Wellness Policy. The revised policy adopts ALL of the recommendations put forward by the Healthi Kids Coa...

    Want to host a play day in your neighborhood? Join Healthi Kids and residents across the city as we repurpose, reclaim and bring back safe play spaces to the City of Rochester!  PlayROCs your Neighborhood – Healthi Kids’ city-wide coordinated play day is BACK! Since 2016, childre...

  Tell Senator Schumer to Protect Summer Meals School is almost out, and summer is just around the corner. Unfortunately for families across the city access to summer meals is becoming much more burdensome. That’s why we need you to reach out to Senator Schumer to demand they extend summer...

                            Racism is a public health crisis. At Healthi Kids we have known this for over a decade. Black and Latino families in the City of Rochester experience worse health outcomes than people in the surrounding suburbs. That’s why at the beginning of 2021, Healthi Kids laun...

Everyone does something well. It's important to recognize kids when they make an attempt at accomplishing goals. It's also important to acknowledge kids when they excel at their goals. Whether at home, in school, or at the local R-center, when adults recognize kids for their effort and accomplis...

  Thursday, March 10, 2022   With COVID-19 vaccine rates among children remaining extremely low, county public health directors in the Finger Lakes region today further urged parents to get their children vaccinated. The public health directors highlighted the current vaccination rates...

  Are you trying to incorporate healthy bedtime habits into family routines? Is this a struggle you never thought you had to deal with? Fortunately, there are many options for healthy, fun, and productive bedtime routines. Creating a healthy bedtime routine should include bedtime exercises to...

Pediatricians reinforce COVID-19 guidance for kids returning to sports and physical activity Interim guidelines are designed to protect school children and teens from cardiac events   ROCHESTER, NY, January 14, 2022 - As cases of COVID-19 increase among local children, a regional task force...

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/20/2021                                          QUEENS, NY— State Senator Jessica Ramos (D,WF-SD13) and Assembly Member Sarah Clark (D-AD136) introduced the Early Learning Child Care Act (S7615 - Assembly number pending) on Friday, bringing their respective e...

 November 22, 2021   ROCHESTER – The Planning Team for the Rochester Food Policy Council (FPC) is excited to announce the selection of its inaugural members. This diverse group of individuals will lead efforts to create a healthier and more equitable Rochester food system. The planning team...

NATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT TO KICK OFF PLAYFUL LEARNING INITIATIVE FOR ROCHESTER YOUTH Healthi Kids’ Coalition Brings Together Community to Prioritize the Power of Play in the Rochester City School District   What: National early childhood expert Dr. Brian Wright kicks off Healthi...