THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN’S HEALTHY LIVING By: Kelsi Beard
What will it take for a child to live a healthy lifestyle? ■ Staying active each day! ■ Selecting healthy food choices and drinking lots of water! ■ Having emotional wellness! ■ Practicing healthy sleep habits!
Staying active …. ■ It is important that each child gets the proper amount of exercise and fitness to stay healthy. Some benefits of physical activity include: - Stronger bones and joints - Greater muscle strength - Decrease in body fat - Improves flexibility and confidence
Fun activities that will keep children active… ■ Play active games like Twister or Charades as opposed to board games that keep you sitting. ■ Make a scavenger hunt ■ Hopscotch, jump rope, hula hooping ■ Play a sport
Selecting healthy food choices.. ■ Good nutrition is essential to good health and it is important that healthy eating patterns are shaped for children. ■ Being a good role model is important for helping children develop good eating habits. If a child sees an adult making healthy choices, they will want to do the same.
What are some healthy food choices for children? • Drinking lots of water. • Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. • Limiting the amount of fatty foods and sugar consumption.
Drinking Water is important! ■ Hydration is particularly important for ■ The amount of water a child needs to children because they have higher water drink can vary greatly, due to factors requirements in relation to their body including age, gender, the weather and weight than adults. how much physical activity they do. ■ Kids aged 4-13 aim to drink approximately 6-8 glasses of fluid a day in addition to the water included in the food in their diet.
Emotional Wellness… ■ To be truly healthy, a child’s emotional health must be nurtured and strengthened. Developing a mental attitude of wellness is also essential. ■ Children should have the contentment of basic needs: - the need for kindness and love - safety and clarity - social acknowledgment; to feel capable - happiness - efficient social functioning and the dispositions of hopefulness
Nurturing emotional intelligence in a child… ■ Acknowledge the child’s perspective and empathize ■ Allowing the child to express his/her self ■ Listen to the child’s feelings ■ Teach the child problem solving
Children need healthy sleep habits… ■ Sleep is no less important than food, drink, or safety in the lives of children. Although this may seem apparent, many of us actually do not allow our children to get the critical sleep they need to develop and function properly.
Children’s sleep habits… ■ Healthy sleep requires: • A sufficient amount of sleep • Uninterrupted (good quality) sleep • The proper number of age-appropriate naps • A sleep schedule that is in sync with the child's natural biological rhythms
Children having healthy living habits is very important. For a child to be able to grow and function properly, they have to develop healthy living habits. We as parents and educators, need to make sure that our children are practicing the steps towards a healthy lifestyle.
References ■ https://www.healthychildren.org/english/healthy-living/pages/default.aspx ■ https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/parents-carers/5-ways-to-a-healthy- lifestyle.aspx ■ https://www.livestrong.com/article/74307-importance-eating-children/ ■ https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/importance-of-healthy-lifestyles/ ■ https://www.webmd.com/children/features/good-sound-sleep-for-children#1
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