July 2026 Newsletter 

The countdown is on!

The countdown is on for the Playful Learning Summit! This inspiring event brings together educators, families, and community partners to discover how playful learning can support children’s development and create more engaging learning experiences.

• Theme: The Right to Play: How Play Liberates Learning and Supports Whole Child Health
• Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2026
• Time: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Place: Monroe Community College’s Brighton Campus

Professional development credit available!

Register today at healthikids.org/summit26.

Tell your HealthySteps story

HealthySteps brings child development specialists into pediatric practices to give families extra support during well-child visits—including help with sleep, feeding, behavior, emotional development, family stress, and connections to community resources. Now, first-hand stories are needed from parents, caregivers, and families who have received support from a HealthySteps Specialist to help show the real impact of the program.

If your family visits one of the HealthySteps pediatric offices listed below—or you know someone who does—please consider sharing this opportunity.

• East Hill Medical Center
• Genesee Pediatrics
• Oak Orchard Health – Albion
• RRH Batavia Pediatrics
• RRH Newark Pediatrics
• RRH Rochester General Pediatrics
• RRH Unity Pediatrics
• RRH WNY Pediatrics at Geneva
• UR Golisano Children’s Hospital Pediatrics.

Stories may be submitted by video, photo, or text at healthikids.org/steps26.

Free summer meals for Rochester kids & teens

School may be out but free healthy meals are still available! Through Summer Meals ROC, children and teens ages 2–18 can receive free breakfasts and lunches at locations throughout the City of Rochester during the summer months. No registration, paperwork, or identification is required—just show up during meal service times and enjoy a nutritious meal.

Summer meals help ensure that all children have access to the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and enjoy an active summer.

Find meal sites, schedules, and program information!

A brand-new playground is coming to West High Field, and community members have a unique opportunity to help shape its design. Healthi Kids is teaming up with the City of Rochester, Wegmans, Kindling Snacks, the William and Sheila Konar Foundation, the Davenport-Hatch Foundation, and KABOOM! to create a custom playspace for children ages 5–12.

We want to hear from families, neighbors, and community members about the playground features and amenities that matter most to you. Take a few minutes to complete the West High Field Playspace Design Vision Survey and share your ideas. 

Looking for more ways to get involved? Join us for the West High Field Design Day Workshop:

📅 Wednesday, July 22, 2026
🕕 6:00 p.m.
📍 Teen Empowerment Center, 373 Genesee St., Rochester, NY 14611

Community support is essential to making this project a success. Learn more about the project, help bring children’s dream playspaces to life, and connect with project partners. Refreshments will be provided, and kids are welcome! 

Click here to take the survey!

Click here to RSVP for Design Day!

Together, we can create a vibrant new community space for Rochester families.

What's a Playfinder?

Playfinders are simple playful sidewalks that help kids and their families find playgrounds while exploring their neighborhoods by foot. Each trail begins with a custom-made stencil featuring the PlayROCs logo. This creates a unique and recognizable   identity that kids can spot anywhere in the city and helps to connect a growing network of playful pathways leading to parks and play spaces. 

Want to create your own? Check out the Playfinder stencil collection and get started at https://healthikids.org/playfinder 

Partner Spotlight: RCSD Dept. of Health, Physical Education & Athletics

From left to right: Healthy Schools Project Coordinator Hailey Cox, Executive Director of Health, PE, and Athletics for RCSD Camaron Johnson, and Mike Bulger, director of Whole Child Health.

Healthi Kids is proud to partner with the Rochester City School District’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletics to support school environments where students can eat well, move more, and thrive. Through efforts like the Healthi Connections Professional Development Series and the annual Playful Learning Summit educators are building practical skills they can bring back to classrooms, cafeterias, gyms, and school communities.

“Partnering with RCSD allows us to connect wellness policy with real, practical strategies that educators can use with students every day,” says Hailey Cox, Healthy Schools Project Coordinator

“When school staff have space to learn together, reflect, and talk honestly about what students are experiencing, we can identify small shifts that make a real difference in the school day," says Mike Bulger, Director of Whole Child Health, Common Ground Health

We’re grateful for RCSD’s continued partnership and shared commitment to creating healthier, more supportive school communities for Rochester students.

Read more.

Culture Corner: Celebrating Disability Pride Month with Kids and Families

July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate disabled people and help children learn that everyone deserves access, inclusion, and belonging. Small moments—like reading a book, watching a show, or visiting a local play space—can help children learn about kindness, belonging, and respect.

📖 Read We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire, illustrated by Eduardo Trejos
📺 Watch Best Foot Forward available on Apple TV+ and other streaming services
🌳 Keep learning: visit an accessible and inclusive playground.

Disability pride reminds us that differences are part of every community — and every child deserves to be included, respected, and celebrated.

Learn more in this short blog.