As an early childhood professional, building a home-school connection is an important part of teaching and learning. As we teach three-, four-, and five-year-old children about healthy lifestyles, nutrition, safety, and wellness, we also must offer support and education to families at home. This graded project involves developing a themed Healthy Take Home Bag to be sent home each week with a different child throughout the school year. It should contain important ideas and activities that provide families and children with knowledge about becoming and staying healthy and fit. These bags allow family members to be involved in a child’s learning.

Follow these steps to begin your assignment:

1. Choose one of these four themes and plan your Healthy Take Home Bag around your selected topic:

   a. Germs, Handwashing, and Staying Healthy
   b. Nutrition and Healthy Food Choices
   c. Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness
   d. Dental Health and Hygiene

1. Search online and select an image of the ideal book bag, backpack, or tote bag you would send home with children in your class. Copy the image of the bag and paste it into your assignment. Cite the source of the image on your references page in APA format, and explain in five to seven sentences which theme you’ve selected and why. Then, share why you selected this particular bag to serve as your Healthy Take Home Bag.

1. From the teacher’s perspective, write a letter to families of your students explaining what the bag is about and why their children are receiving the bag to take home. In your letter, include a greeting and closing, and follow proper spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting rules. Your letter should motivate and excite families to receive the bag, provide a detailed explanation of each item included in the bag, suggest how to use each item appropriately, and include any other directions, suggestions, or guidance you wish to express. Before writing your letter, imagine what questions, concerns, or apprehensions families might have as they receive the Healthy Take Home Bag. Then include your answers and any additional information that might lessen their confusion or reluctance.
2. Research ideas as you plan the bag’s contents, which should include materials in each of the following categories:

   Games. Include a description of at least one game families would play together that promotes understanding of your chosen theme. Describe the materials needed to play each game, and share a summary of how each game is played. Finally, indicate what the child will learn from playing each game at home with their family. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Children’s literature. Identify and describe two books that promote children’s understanding of your chosen topic. Provide the title, author’s name, publisher, date, and a summary of each book. Then, identify two reasons for selecting each book to be included within your Healthy Take Home Bag.This portion of your assignment is expected to be two fully developed paragraphs of at least five to seven sentences each (one paragraph per book).

   Manipulatives. Describe at least one manipulative set you would include in the Healthy Take Home Bag. Tell about the materials included and how they’re to be used. Then explain how the manipulatives extend the child’s understanding of your selected theme. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Dramatic play. Share ideas for costumes, puppets, or other dramatic play materials you would send home in the Take Home Bag. Be specific by sharing the manufacturer’s name of each item, describing the items themselves, and explaining how they’ll be used. Describe how the dramatic play items you’ve included relate to your chosen theme and advance the child’s understanding of your selected topic. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Sensory play. Describe one sensory play experience you would include in the Take Home Bag to help teach children and families about your selected topic. Explain how this sensory experience would benefit the family. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Science experiment. Describe one age-appropriate science experiment included in the Take Home Bag that supports your selected topic. Explain the materials needed, the steps of the experiment, and the expected outcome. Then, explain how this experiment would benefit the family. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Recipes for healthy snacks. Share at least one recipe for a kid-friendly snack that’s healthy, nutritious, and relates to the topic you’ve chosen. Identify the ingredients you would send home in the bag or expect the family to have on hand. Describe the procedure of making the snack, and explain how and why the snack contributes to the family’s experience in learning together about the bag’s theme. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.

   Additional resources. Provide at least one resource—such as a website, book, magazine, movie, or other resource—that would extend the family’s exploration of your chosen theme. Explain what the resource is and how it would benefit the family. Make sure this is a credible source that families will find beneficial and easily accessible. This portion of your assignment is expected to be one fully developed paragraph of at least five to seven sentences.