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Easy Ways to Teach Kids Health

Building healthy habits and teaching your child the importance of exercise, nutrition and hygiene will help him become a strong and healthy adult. Rewarding himfor taking care of his body and informing him of the health-related consequences of not doing so will help him learn how to appropriately care for himself.

  1. Hygiene

    • Explain to your child that keeping her body clean will help her stay healthy. Tell your child that illnesses can be transferred by touch, so she must wash her hands often. She must also brush her teeth to prevent cavities. Purchase items that will make hygiene fun, such as toothpaste and a toothbrush with her favorite cartoon character on it and animal-shaped soap. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, your child should wash her hands for 15 seconds, which can be practiced by having her sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or another familiar song while she washes. In addition to washing her hands when they are dirty, teach her that she must wash her hands before and after meals, after using the bathroom and after playing outside or with pets. Playing a two-minute song or singing for her while she brushes her teeth will help her complete this task appropriately as well. Make a list of important steps while bathing or showering, such as washing her entire body with soap, washing her hair and rinsing. Laminate this list and hang it on the bathroom wall so she can refer to it when necessary.

    Nutrition

    • Help your child eat right and get plenty of exercise by following the USDA's MyPyramid for kids. Tell your child that in order to grow big and strong, he must eat healthy meals and snacks each day. Create a chart with the foods he should eat including grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy and meat. Include exercise on the chart. Put boxes on the chart next to each listing, and give your child a sticker and praise when he eats foods on the list.

    Exercise

    • Exercise is important for your child to stay healthy. The USDA advises at least one hour of physical activity every day. Make a list of 30-minute activities for your child to participate in and ask her to complete at least two each day. This list might include riding a bike, going for a walk, dancing to music, jumping rope, playing sports and any other activity she enjoys. Offer praise and a prize when she completes the exercise. Limiting TV and video games to less than two hours per day will also encourage your child to get the exercise and pay attention to her physical needs.

    KidsHealth

    • KidsHealth is a valuable website that offers games, movies, quizzes, experiments and other activities to teach kids about their bodies, nutrition, health problems and how to stay healthy. There are articles written in language children can understand that explain illnesses, how the body works, health problems that adults face and how to cope with stressful situations and emotions. There are also separate divisions containing information for parents and teenagers.

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