Education Opportunities

Concerned about your child's weight?  We offer a special, non-dieting weight management program for children and teens called Shapedown.  The course is designed for families and takes a unique approach to curb the drives to overeat and to be inactive.  Family sessions are available with a licensed registered dietitian (includes parents and one child).

Wake County SAFE KIDS Coalition is led locally by WakeMed.  Its mission is to reduce preventable injuries and death in Wake County children ages 14 and under.  Through interactive, educational family events, we distribute information about important topics like water safety, motor vehicle safety and home safety.

You may want to bring your children to our sibling class. Children, ages 3 to 10, will tour the Women’s Pavilion & Birthplace (Raleigh or Cary) and participate in a discussion about what they can expect from a newborn. A film and age-appropriate explanation of reproduction and birth are available for older children. Each child will also make a simple toy for their new sibling. Classes are offered on weekends.

Sponsored by WakeMed and Wake County SAFE KIDS, this injury prevention program is designed for Wake County children in preschool through eighth grade.  Students learn about the eight areas of risk and apply that knowledge in practice situations.  The goal of the program is to help kids develop an attitude of safety and the motivation to make smart choices in dangerous situations.

Safe Sitter is a popular two-day program designed for girls and boys ages 11 to 13.  During these summertime classes, instructors teach proper child care skills and techniques for handling medical emergencies. 

Youth Fitness: Kids in Motion is a fitness program for inactive children age 7 and older who need more physical activity.  Kids engage in sports, aerobics, games, light weight lifting and more - all in a non-competitive environment.

"A Trip to WakeMed" is an outreach program for kindergarten students in Wake County Schools. Taught by volunteer nurses and therapists from WakeMed, the program explains what children can expect if they have to go to the hospital.  Students participate in show-and-tell and role-playing, learning about medical procedures, equipment and hospital personnel.