FARMINGTON — An initiative to get all kids physically active, Everybody, sponsored by the Healthy Community Coalition, will join forces with Winterkids to provide a “Guide to Outdoor Active Learning Training.”

Training sessions designed for teachers, afterschool program coordinators and child care providers will be offered on Thursday, Dec. 19, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in the Bass Room.

Can you teach math with mittens, turn your water table into an ice-fishing pond or host a hibernation party? Yes, program organizers say you can, and WinterKids can help. 

The WinterKids Challenge is simple: Engage children with active, outdoor lessons that work the body as well as the brain; support teaching through hands-on experiential education in the great outdoors; make learning fun; and show us happy, healthy kids having a blast in the winter.

A session for teachers and afterschool program providers of school-age children will be offered from 3 to 5 p.m. Participants will learn new activities to get children active during the school day while learning new concepts. Activities are aligned with the Maine Learning Results standards.

A second session for child care providers and those caring for preschool-aged children will be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. This is an opportunity for childcare providers to learn great new ways to teach kids how to have fun in the winter.

Participants will receive a free copy of the “WinterKids Guide to Outdoor Active Learning,” a publication aligned with Maine Learning Results and the Maine Early Learning Guidelines. Participants will learn new ways to increase daytime physical activity and Let’s Go strategies through a fun and lively hands-on experience.

The registration deadline is Dec. 18. Space is limited. To register, call Laurie Soucy at the Healthy Community Coalition at 779-2924.