National Child Health Day: 5 Ways to Keep Your Child Active

Community, Education

October 4th of every year is National Child Health Day. This day was created to focus on and encourage healthy lifestyles in children. With regards to the childhood obesity pandemic, child health is of utmost importance.

National Child Health Day became a day of observance in 1928 when President Calvin Coolidge issued a proclamation for the day and Congress enacted it. In the beginning, National Child Health Day was observed on May 1, and in 1960 it was changed to the first Monday in October. Ever since then, American presidents have issued proclamations that day in hopes of rallying the country to support children’s health. – (1)

FIVE FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL CHILD HEALTH DAY

  1. Throwback slogan

    The 1939 Child Health Day slogan was, “The health of the child is the power of the nation.”

  2. You are what you eat

    Child eating habits should include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, protein foods, and oils.

  3. Nutritional mistake

    Many everyday kids’ snacks are surprisingly unhealthy, like applesauce and yogurt.

  4. Brain food

    A good diet can improve academic performance.

  5. Healthy children

    An estimated 82% of children in the US are in good health.

WHY NATIONAL CHILD HEALTH DAY IS IMPORTANT

  1. Children are the future

    Children are the most vulnerable people in our society. Knowing how to best ensure their health secures our future for a brighter tomorrow. The next generation needs to develop good health standards and it starts with us.

  2. A necessary occupation

    It might seem unbelievable now, but at one point, there weren’t any children’s hospitals. Children were once overlooked and that damaged society in critical ways. By continuing our support of children’s health it shows a message that it’s here to stay.

  3. Families need support

    It can be a daunting task to stay up to date on all things healthy for your children. It makes it that much easier when families know that they have advocates willing to spread the word and raise funds to ensure that their kids have the proper information and tools to stay healthy. The more that a health-conscious ideology becomes the norm, the more likely it is that kids will follow suit.

Focus on Healthy Foods

Focusing on maintaining a pantry and fridge full of just healthy foods is much easier said than done. Keeping healthy foods in the house also requires knowledge of what isn’t benefitting your children nutritionally in any way.

However, with a few simple rules of thumb, keeping healthy foods in the house to focus on healthy kids is achievable and easy to maintain. Here’s a guide on some basic foods to keep stocked up.

  • Greek yogurt with honey and raisins
  • Fruit
  • Popcorn
  • Veggies and peanut or almond butter
  • Trail mix
  • Cottage cheese
  • Oatmeal (add the trail mix and honey to it for a delicious treat!)
  • Cheese squares
  • Deli meats
  • Olives
  • Dates
  • Pickles
  • (Combine the previous 5 for a fun charcuterie board snack!)
  • Hard-boiled eggs with hummus
  • Salad fixings
  • Canned chicken/tuna for quick chicken/tuna salad
  • Pita bread
  • Avocadoes
  • Veggies chips

While this list could easily go on and on, it’s a great starting point for how to begin stocking up your pantry and fridge. Most things on this list could be mixed and matched easily. For instance, the hummus could be used easily with fresh veggies instead of peanut butter. The oatmeal could easily be turned into no-bake oatmeal protein bars.

Of course, this list isn’t your typical grab-and-go list of snacks, but if you spend a day or two prepping your fruits and veggies ahead (chopping them up and storing them in airtight containers), they’re definitely ready to be eaten!

Above all, it’s most important to remember that your children need nutrition from healthy and diverse foods!

Keep the Electronics Off During Designated Times

To advise having designated times for electronics is another piece of guidance that’s easier said than done, especially because so much school work is being done electronically these days. However, if you can agree to have homework done by a certain time each day, it would be easier to designate a time by which all electronics should be completely turned off. This would undoubtedly encourage time together as a family, or down-time for your children to exercise other parts of their brains and bodies. For instance, your child might choose to read a book or to jump on the trampoline to try to curve their boredom from no electronics.

Go Outside as Much as Possible

If you would like to see your children play outside more often, try to move things you’d normally do indoors to outside. For instance, do the kids normally do their homework sprawled out in the living room or dining room? If there is the ability, have your kids move their homework area to an outdoor table. Or, try to grill out more often. Front or back porches are perfect extensions of your home. Anything that you can bring outdoors will naturally encourage your children to engage with the world around them.

Make Time for Play

As parental figures for our kids, there are probably a billion and one things to do on any given day. However, playtime doesn’t just occur happenstance – it occurs purposefully. It’s extremely important that playtime is prioritized with the kids. Try to make time throughout the day, or at the very least, at the end of the day around what would normally be considered “family time.” This could be after homework or after dinner and before bedtime. Get on your child’s level and interact with them rather than just observe them playing.

Provide Toys that Encourage Active Play

As a rule of thumb, if your child can play with it sitting down, try to avoid getting it. Provide toys that your children must stand or use physical activity to play with. These could include:

Trampolines

Slides

Scooters

Bikes

Sporting equipment like baseballs, bats, badminton, and basketballs

 

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