1. Raising Healthy & Active Children: Preschool Age
By- Skyler Killian Period 7

2. Why raise a healthy child?
Having a healthy lifestyle, eating well and being physically active helps children to:
build strong bones
grow and develop healthily
improve their concentration at school
maintain a healthy weight
be alert and active
….and the bad news
Being unhealthy can lead to problems in later life, such as:
Type 2 diabetes
high blood pressure and cholesterol levels
some types of cancers
heart disease
stroke
joint problems and breathing problems
being overweight and obese

3. Play active games
Plan a total of 60 minutes of active games throughout the day, everyday.
Things to do together: Bounce a balloon in the air, play tickle monster, blow bubbles so your child can chase them, kick a soccer ball, play catch or go on a walk together.

4. Motivate your child
Parents should support their kids’ physical activity in different ways. What matters most is that your kids know how much you value and support their active lifestyle.
Examples: Go on active family outings, sign your child up for sports, cheer for them at their games, make sure your child is dressed appropriately for most weather conditions and that they drink a lot of water

5. Replace screen time with active time
Pay attention to how much time you and your child spend in front of the tv.
Keep the TV, iPad and computer away from your child’s room. Keep them in a public area so you can control when they are used.
Set a daily or weekly electronic time limit and stick with it. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests no more than 2 hours of TV time a day for kids 2 and older.

6. Plan healthy meals
Fast food should not be a every day meal in your household. You should buy foods that are healthy and convenient.
Examples: Purchase frozen fruits and vegetables, you can add low sodium beans to add protein, prepare meals that take 30 minutes or less on weeknights, also put aside time on the weekend to make things you can freeze now and eat later.

7. Make nutrition fun
Kids are more likely to eat something they help prepare, and they might learn about where food comes from along the way.
Things to do together: Plant a garden and eat what you harvest, go berry or apple picking, use cookie cutters to turn food into interesting shapes, use fruits and vegetables to make meals colorful or arrange broccoli into forests.

8. Slowly swap out unhealthy foods
You do not need to get rid of every sugared snack right away. Start with a few low-key substitutions and build from there.
Examples: Cook with olive oil instead of butter, replace white rice with brown rice, pick out less sugary cereals, serve water, small amounts of juice or low-fat milk.

9. Change the food environment
The sight or smell of tempting food can make you believe you’re hungry, even when you just ate.
Examples- Keep high-sugar or high-fat snacks someplace hard to see and hard to reach, replace the cookie jar with a bowl of fruit and serve meals on smaller plates to keep portions in check.

10. Keep nutrition affordable
A healthy meal doesn’t have to break the bank or take hours to prepare.
You can prepare: lentils and beans, low-sodium canned foods, frozen fruits and vegetables, or fruits and veggies that are ‘in season’ or local; these tend to be less expensive.

11. Be a role model
For many families, being inactive and living on a diet of sugar and fat is normal. Whatever your current status may be, it’s never too late to make a family commitment to a healthy change.
As a parent, you can: Make healthy habits, keep the idea a positive one and get your kids involved.

12. Resources