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No images? Click here  July 2026 NewsletterThe 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.
Professional development credit available! 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.
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.  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 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.
We’re grateful for RCSD’s continued partnership and shared commitment to creating healthier, more supportive school communities for Rochester students. 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 Disability pride reminds us that differences are part of every community — and every child deserves to be included, respected, and celebrated.      |
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