Health Tips in Honor of Every Kid Healthy Week

April is all about health! It has been designated as Move More Month, a time to focus on fitness. And Every Kid Healthy Week takes place from April 25 through 29 this year. After all, healthy kids are happy kids — win-win! Apex Leadership Co. looks at how parents, guardians, and schools can help create a community of healthy, happy kids through proper nutrition and a healthy dose of activity.

According to Action for Healthy Kids, Every Kid Healthy Week “is an annual observance created in 2013 to celebrate school health and wellness achievements… Each day of the week shines a spotlight on the great actions schools and families are taking to improve the health and wellness of their kids and the link between nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and learning — because healthy kids are better prepared to learn and thrive!”

The days of Every Kid Healthy Week each have a theme to focus on and the site offers some tips for each day:

Mindful Monday – Social-Emotional Health

  1. Explore imagination through play-based yoga
  2. Build energy with a game of yoga freeze dance
  3. Use breathing exercises for emotional regulation
  4. Practice journaling

Tasty Tuesday — Nutrition and Food Access

  1. Plant an indoor or outdoor garden (at school or home)
  2. Learn about farm to table eating
  3. “Rethink Your Drink” (a lesson about how much sugar is consumed in beverages from soda to juice)
  4. Play with food using food art

Wellness Wednesday — Physical Activity and Active play

  1. Incorporate walking programs at school or home
  2. Creative active sensory spaces
  3. Limit screen time
  4. Explore empathy through physical activity

Thoughtful Thursday — Equity Awareness

  1. Highlight what’s special about the community through art
  2. Start a conversation about bullying prevention
  3. Host a talent show that promotes social inclusion
  4. Create learning spaces that inspire

Family Friday — Family-School Partnerships

  1. Use family conversation starters to talk about feelings
  2. Role model healthy behaviors
  3. Engage in physical activity as a family
  4. Connect with family over a shared meal

Kids Eat Vegetables

The American Heart Association offers some tips for moving those bodies — not only for physical wellness but for mental wellness too! According to the organization, “Kids who are active have better bone health, physical fitness, brain function, attention, and academic performance.”

The association encourages kids to be active throughout the day and replace sedentary behavior with activity whenever possible. Preschool children ages three to five should be engaged in active play as well

as structured movement for about three hours per day. This can include a variety of activities from light to vigorous. For school-age kids and teens ages six through 17, 60 minutes of activity per day is a good goal to strive for. This time can be broken up throughout the day and should include moderate to vigorous intensity activities.

In the name of creating healthier, happier kids, families, and schools can use April as a kick-off month to encourage a lifetime of healthy nutrition, physical activity, and all-around wellness. Families can work on providing more healthful meals, limiting junk food, avoiding the drive-thru line, and moving a little more every day. Changes don’t have to be drastic. Little movements toward overall health can help ease the adjustment. It can also be really fun to focus on health and fitness as a family! So this April, Apex Leadership Co. encourages family, school administration, and teachers to come together to help develop healthy, happy kids!