Five Healthy Habits to Teach Your Kids

​We all want our children and grandchildren to lead happy and healthy lives. When they leave home, we want them to be strong and independent adults who can take care of themselves. It is, therefore, important to instill these messages at a young age, and teach them healthy habits.

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1. Fitness

Fitness is important to everyone, regardless of age. Adopting a regular exercise routine will keep your children fit. It will also help them to maintain a healthy weight and prevent numerous diseases. There are countless benefits to exercise.

One of the issues facing parents today is how much screen time their child should be allowed. In an increasingly digital world, it can be difficult to persuade kids to unplug and enjoy a variety of activities. The problem is that playing screen games is often a sedentary activity.

Rather than focusing on fitness, focus on fun. Introduce your kids to a range of activities that they will enjoy. Examples include jump rope, obstacle courses, trampolining etc. Check out this site to find the best trampoline. The more fun you make the activity, the more likely kids are to join in.



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2. Healthy Eating

Healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand. Most kids love treats, and they are fine in moderation. But it is important to encourage healthy eating habits in your kids. Like exercise, there are countless benefits of eating a balanced and nutritious diet.

Rather than being restrictive in your approach, be inventive. Find recipes that are fun, tasty and healthy. Include your children in the process and teach them about preparing food. Read our article on keeping them safe in the kitchen.


3. Forming Relationships

Part of being human is the ability to form and maintain relationships. This doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Some children are more extroverted than others. Some prefer to spend more time alone. It’s not about changing personalities. It’s about embracing differences.

Expose your children to lots of different people of all ages. Encourage them to interact with adults and children. It goes without saying that this should be within the realms of safety. Where children prefer alone time, make sure this is available also.


4. Learning

Most children learn at school. Some learn at home if they are home-schooled. This is often academic learning. In addition to regular lessons, encourage your children to think and learn for themselves. Expose them to lots of different people, experiences, and cultures. Take them to a variety of places and encourage their curiosity and creativity. A child with a lively and enquiring mind will want to continue learning.
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5. Think for Themselves

Part of being independent is thinking for yourself. Embolden your child by encouraging them to find solutions to problems. If they ask you a question, don’t immediately tell them the answer. Ask how they could find an answer themselves. Demonstrate how you solve problems and where you look for solutions. Show them how to research and go through the thought process required to solve issues.

When teaching children healthy habits, it is not enough to tell them to do something. It is not enough to explain the reasons for doing those things. You also have to model that behavior. How can you expect your child to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle if you don’t follow one yourself? The trick is to teach, explain and encourage your children. But above all, lead by example.





• Try the simple ideas from this article to teach kids healthy habits
• Check out this book to create healthy, fun meal ideas for kids
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