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Schools, daycare centres, out-of-school care providers, childminders and private individuals can register for ModderDag 2019, which will be held on 28 June. In 2018, 2,620 childcare locations, primary schools and public spaces organised activities in and around mud for more than 130,000 children.
On Tuesday, 26 March, the new free Virtual Reality lesson package ‘Do something!’ was launched by the Consortium against Cyberbullying; a partnership of organisations committed to social and digital safety. This lesson package raises awareness of the impact of cyberbullying, a growing problem among young people. The VR film allows pupils to realistically experience what online bullying does to someone. Through this educational material, the Consortium against Cyberbullying meets the need to address this growing problem and make it open for discussion in schools.
Commissioned by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation, the Mulier Institute is conducting research into the physical activity program 'Ren.Spring.Gooi!'. The aim of the research is to further develop the program. As part of this, the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation and the Mulier Institute would like to gain insight into teachers' needs and wishes regarding physical activity programs and support materials.
At present, the majority of primary schools (80%), more than half of secondary schools (62%) and a small proportion of secondary vocational education schools (14%) have completely smoke-free school grounds. This is shown by research conducted by the Mulier Institute into the current state of efforts to make school grounds smoke-free, commissioned by the Trimbos Institute.
We all want to live healthier and more consciously: at school, at home, but also when we take a short break. During a school camp at Stayokay, we offer the best of both worlds: creating unforgettable experiences and enjoying healthy activities, both in and outside the hostel. With 22 hostels throughout the Netherlands and 90 years of experience with school groups, you are guaranteed a successful and sustainable school trip! Stayokay is suitable for both primary and secondary education.
The Knowledge Centre for Sport called on parents via social media to share with them the questions they have about their children’s physical activity. In one month, the Knowledge Centre received 87 questions from parents with children up to 12 years old.
Children aged 8 to 12 ask the most questions about crushes and dating. This is shown by research conducted by Rutgers and De Kindertelefoon among De Kindertelefoon’s volunteers. After ‘crushes and dating’ come the themes ‘having sex/fucking’ and sexual acts such as ‘fingering and blow jobs’. The research marks the start of the Week of Spring Fever: a project week about resilience, relationships and sexuality that takes place from 18 March through 22 March at primary schools throughout the Netherlands.
On Wednesday, 13 March, Minister Carola Schouten and Climate Council chairman Nijpels officially launched the national start of the 63rd edition of National Tree Planting Day in Haarlemmermeer. This was an important occasion, because despite the fact that Minister Schouten, Ed Nijpels and the five climate table chairpersons had to be in The Hague at 10:00 a.m. to prepare for the press presentation of the calculations for the Climate Agreement, they acknowledged the importance of trees as a climate measure and the importance of involving children in the climate debate.
During the nationwide breakfast week from 4 to 8 November this year, schools will have their complete breakfast packages delivered. This makes enjoying a cosy and healthy breakfast together during this educational event even easier. All primary schools in the Netherlands can register again.
From 11 to 17 March, the second edition of National Meat-Free Week will take place. This year, more than 55,000 participants are taking part. Among them are 132 schools, which have ordered a special educational package. During National Meat-Free Week, participants take on the challenge of not eating meat for the entire week.
The Children’s Cooking Garden has developed a Children’s Kitchen Garden lesson package for primary education and the first years of secondary school. The package makes the entire chain—from sowing and caring for plants to harvesting and cooking—visible.
It sounds perfectly normal: a healthy youth. Yet young people unknowingly grow up in an environment where unhealthy choices are often literally the easiest ones to make. In the Netherlands, one in seven children is overweight. To draw attention to a healthy generation, King Willem-Alexander officially launched the ‘Week for a Healthy Youth’ last Friday.
New childcare and out-of-school care (BSO) locations are getting off to a better start since the Municipal Health Services (GGDs) began working with ‘Strict at the Gate’. This is the conclusion reached by the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and GGD GHOR Netherlands following an initial evaluation of the new approach.
Haarlemmermeer will be the proud host of the 63rd National Celebration of Tree Planting Day on Wednesday, 13 March. The municipality has chosen the theme ‘One Tree Per Child’, which will also be the national theme for Tree Planting Day 2019.
Already 80 municipalities and municipal health services have joined the Smoke-free Generation. They want to ensure that children can grow up smoke-free. In some regions, people are joining forces to work together for a Smoke-free Generation.
On 13 March, the Royal Association for Physical Education (KVLO) is organizing the second edition of Physical Education Day. The event will take place at De Maaspoort in Den Bosch.
On 7 February, thousands of (predominantly secondary school) students demonstrated for the climate on the Malieveld. There were few ‘climate truants’ in primary education, but that does not mean the climate is not an issue there! Primary schools contribute in many ways. The PO-Raad has listed three ways in which the sector is working on sustainability.
One in six Dutch people will develop skin cancer, and the trend is increasing. The main cause of skin cancer is unprotected exposure to the sun. The Huidfonds wants to stop this trend and is committed to a skin-cancer-free generation by informing parents of young children about protecting their skin in the sun.
Obis Broekema from Kerkwerve, Anne Dijkhuizen from Kamperland, Tijn van ’t Westeinde from ’s Heer-Abtskerke and Jedithja Steenbeek from Oost-Souburg will be ambassadors throughout 2019 for all the children in Zeeland who want a green schoolyard and more outdoor lessons.
From Monday 4 March through Thursday 18 April, schools can register for the Healthy School Support Offer. The Support Offer gives your school a helping hand in working towards becoming a Healthy School. For the 2019–2020 school year, 550 school locations from primary education, secondary education and secondary vocational education can apply for the Support Offer. The support consists of a financial contribution, training, and guidance and advice from a Healthy School adviser from the GGD.
Sportivun is an initiative of the National Bureau for Sports Promotion (NBSS), which is committed to promoting and professionalizing sport in the Netherlands. NBSS does this in all kinds of ways and for various target groups. Its most important target group is undoubtedly children, and this is where Sportivun focuses its efforts. It is vital for children to adopt a healthy lifestyle, especially in a world that increasingly consists of sitting still behind a square screen.
The EU-Schoolfruit fruit and vegetable programme, which promotes the consumption of fruit and vegetables in primary schools, has once again received the ‘well-substantiated’ recognition from the RIVM Centre for Healthy Living.
Primary school Het Vogelnest is the third zero-waste school in Nieuwegein. This week, children, teachers and site manager Madelon Torenstra jointly launched the initiative with alderwoman for sustainability Marieke Schouten.
Do you also think that paying attention to posture and movement is important? Then get your class moving! How? Zit met Pit! will teach you on 10 April during the ‘Active Learning’ workshop. The workshop runs from two to five and will be held at the inspiring location of Presikhaaf Schoolmeubelen in Arnhem.
Does the Healthy School approach actually promote the health of pupils in primary, secondary and secondary vocational education? That is the central question in the evaluation of this innovative approach, for which ZonMw, the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, has provided a subsidy of €800,000. The study is being conducted by a partnership of nine municipal health services, the Academic Collaborative Centres Limburg, Agora and Amphi, and TNO.
The Moroccan-Dutch street footballer and rapper Soufiane Touzani opened the activity trail last week at OBS Portland, in the Portland district of the municipality of Albrandswaard. The route has various purposes, including ‘learning through movement’ and ‘learning to move’.
More than eight in ten Dutch parents (83%) keep an eye on their teenagers online, according to research by Safer Internet Centre Netherlands. Six in ten parents (63%) watch along live with their children, followed by checking their mobile phone (52%) and social media (50%). Parents mainly say they watch along because they are concerned about what their teenagers encounter online.
This year's Teachers of the Year are Anouk Huijs (primary education), Chantal Goedertier (special education), Lucelle Deneer (secondary education) and Dirk Megens (vocational education, pictured). The winners were recently announced at the National Education Exhibition in Utrecht and were selected from a shortlist of 40 nominated teachers. The winners received their titles from Minister of Education Arie Slob and Andrew Niemeyer, chair of the Teachers of the Year and Secondary Education Teacher of the Year 2009.
Green childcare centre ’t Werkel in the Stadshagen district of Zwolle has won the 2019 Groene Twinkeling, Overijssel’s biodiversity award. The childcare centre allows children to ‘grow in peace, space and nature’. The jury calls ’t Werkel ‘a great example for childcare centres throughout the Netherlands’.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) tightened its intervention policy and implemented a number of improvement measures following the tragic and fatal accident involving a four-year-old boy at an indoor play centre at the end of 2015. Ministers Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) and Bruno Bruins (Health, Welfare and Sport) sent the report on the NVWA inspection process following the accident at the ‘Happy Days’ indoor play centre in Grootebroek, along with the NVWA’s response, to the House of Representatives.