Promoting healthy children who value a healthy planet

What is the Beachies Program?

Beachies is a group exercise program that also encourages beach cleaning and leadership development activities

Beachies also encourages reading, writing, talking and drawing about healthy messages and is therefore an approved Fiteracy Program.

Aims of The Beachies Program

We encourage all children to learn methods for being physically active using their outdoor environment, whilst also learning about the importance of keeping their planet healthy

The Beachies program provides a safe, low anxiety learning opportunity to develop confidence in sport, physical activities and team games whilst also increasing the awareness of the need to protect our beaches, rivers and parks from the effects of rubbish and pollution

Benefits of Becoming a Beachie

Physical Activity Benefits

Beachies sessions include the following as fitness activities as building blocks for the development of confidence in physical activity and sport.• Running technique in short sets of 50 to100 m,• Water confidence• Paddling board techniques ( land and river

based sessions)• Beach fitness activities • Ball skills and team games

Benefits of Becoming a Beachie

Leadership Development Benefits

Beachies sessions include the following activities to encourage leadership and parent/ carer involvement• Beachies Junior Leader program

encourages school aged children to assist with teaching 2-5 years Little Beachies

• Parent/ Carer inclusiveness encourages parents/ carers to become powerful demonstrators of healthy activities and environmental protection behaviours

Benefits of Becoming a Beachie

Environmental Awareness Benefits

Beachies sessions include games and activities to promote discussions around the following environmental awareness topics.

• The effect of plastics and rubbish on our ocean life,

• The effect of plastics and rubbish on our own health

• Where does rubbish come from? Rivers, parks and water flows into our oceans

• How can we help to reduce the impact of rubbish on our ocean health?

Benefits of Becoming a Beachie

Literacy Development Benefits

Beachies sessions include the following activities to encourage literacy development amongst families

Talking, drawing, reading and writing about healthy activities and methods for protecting our environment

Parent / Carer Involvement

Beachies is a Fiteracy based program therefore we encourage parents/ carer involvement.

Parent and Carer Involvement

All programs that use Fiteracy encourage parents and carers to be involved in their child’s learning.

This is because parents and carers are the most influential teachers of children.

Therefore we ask parents to demonstrate the importance of learning about the Beachies messages through assisting with following activities:• Introduction and drawing assistant• Beach activities assistant• Shallow water activities assistant• Physical activity demonstrator• Packing up assistant• Story telling assistant

What Equipment Do You Need?

All children will be required to bring their own sporting equipment to each session.

Basic equipment includes:• Water bottle, towel etc• Swimming goggles and flippers• Comfortable sports shoes and

socks.

Helping Your Local Environment

Beachies are valuable to local communities through:• Assisting with cleaning up litter

at local beaches and parks where they exercise and play.

• Bringing awareness to communities regarding the effects of plastics and litters in our waterways, parks and oceans

The Little Beachies Program 2-3 Years

The main aims of the Little Beachies program is to:• Develop water safety awareness• Increase confidence in group physical activity programs• Learn about the types of healthy activities that are water

and beach based• Learn sun safety messages• Learn beach safety messages• Learn about rubbish and where to dispose of rubbish• Develop confidence in reading, writing, drawing and talking

about healthy activities and environmental protection activities

The Beachies Program 3-14 Years

The main aims of the Beachies program is to:• Develop water sports confidence• Develop land based and beach sports confidence• Increase confidence in group physical activity programs• Learn about the types of healthy activities that are water and

beach based• Reinforce sun safety messages to assist with teaching Little

Beachies• Reinforce beach safety messages to assist with teaching

Little Beachies• Learn about the effects of rubbish and where to dispose of

rubbish to assist with teaching Little Beachies• Develop confidence in reading, writing, drawing and talking

about healthy activities and environmental protection activities

How to Join a Beachies Program

1. Attend a Free TrialFree trial sessions are available for families who may want to observe and gauge if our programs are suitable for you and your child.

2. Attend a 15 minute Pre Exercise and Activity Health Screen SessionChildren and parents/ carers will can book in at their local Beachies provider to complete their initial assessments prior to joining a program.This ensures that you and your family are safe to participate in the physical activities.

Your local provider is Kidfit Exercise Physiology in Huskisson

3.Complete a " What is Fiteracy?" Online Quiz Prior to Joining a 4 Week Block

Parents and Carers will be provided a simple 5 minute presentation to listen to or read through prior to attending their first session.

This allows parents and children to gain an understanding of the unique factors included in programs that use Fiteracy and the benefits of including literacy development and parent/carer involvement in children's physical activity programs.

4. Pay for Your 4 Week Block Prior to Attending Your ProgramPlease arrange to pay your initial 4 week block prior tyo attending your first 4 weeks.

Some classes are also eligible for health fund rebates and Receipt of Payment can be provided on the day if payment is made up front.

5. Sign in on Arrival and Start Your Drawing, Writing or Reading Activity Fiteracy programs encourage reading, writing, drawing and talking about healthy activities. Before your session starts, you will be provided an activity to complete with your child that encourages literacy development.

Costs

• Beachies programs are run in 4 week blocks• Initial Joining Fee and Assessment $15 per child• $6 per child with parent involvement per session