Healthy Living for Kids

Keep your kids active

It's never too late to get your kids off the sofa and outside being and keeping active. Here are some suggestions to achieve this.

Set a good example
If you want your kids to be active kids, be active yourself. This doesn't mean going to the gym every other day. Incorporate being active into everyday jobs. Park the car farther away from your destination. Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator. And be positive! Think of being active as an opportunity to take care of your body, rather than a punishment or a chore.

Limit television and computer games
The best way to increase your children's activity levels is to limit the number of hours they're allowed to watch television each day. To make it easier, don't put a television or a computer in their bedrooms.

Establish a routine
Set aside time each day for some physical activity you can all do together. Get up a little earlier than usual with your kids and walk the dog. Or, if that's a struggle, go for a walk after dinner. Remember to start small and gradually add new activities to the routine as the family become fitter.

Let your children set the pace
Don't think to keep fit and active you must do sport. Not everyone enjoys competitive sport. Be imaginative. If your child is arty, take a walk in the woods or the park to collect leaves and stones for your child to make a collage. If your child likes to climb, head for the climbing frames at the park or one of those safe climbing/tumble centres with soft mats and ball pits. Or, if your child just likes to read, walk to the local library.

Make it fun!
Show your kids how much fun you can have while being active. Stretch like a cat. Hang like a monkey. Walk like a crab. Hop like a rabbit. Play catch, play a big family game of tag. Play Simon says, musical statues or chairs. Turn 'boring active jobs' into little competitions. Who can pull up the most weeds out of the garden? Who can tidy their room the quickest. Who can great dressed first.

Keep your kids healthy

Kids love snacks. Kids need to eat between meals, so they've got energy to keep up a healthy lifestyle. The problem is so many snacks are sugary, fatty or have high levels of artificial additives.

As a parent, you will need to prepare healthy snacks so that they are easy, and fun, for kids to eat. It takes a little effort, but it's well worth it!

Prepare a tray of cut up cucumbers, peppers and carrot sticks and serve them with a dip such as cream cheese or hummus. Also try fruit, cut into funny shapes, mini-pittas, yoghurt.

Why not try salt and sugar free popcorn or crackers?

And for drinks, well, there's always Tropicana Go!.

Remember, snacks that look appealing, are fun to hold and eat and are easy to carry are ideal for kids.