Tips, Tools and Activities

Create your family’s own treasure hunt this month, and seek out all the things in bloom. Go on a quest to see how many different colors you can find in your neighborhood.  Look for something new each day (or week) that is blossoming; from one day to the next you can watch and see things grow. Have a conversation as a family about what living things needs to grow—water, sunshine, nutrients—and  how this is connected to our own healthy growth. If you have a camera, take a picture of the same flower, plant, or tree limb each day, and track the small changes.

Q&A

When it comes to food and portions, my children talk about how the bigger the piece, the better – they want the ‘biggest muffin’ or the ‘bigger cookie’ – how can we help change this attitude towards food, especially when it is a sometime food?

There are many things in life where bigger is thought to be better, and it is no different with food. Spending time talking about portions ahead of time may help with the situations where the request is for the bigger piece or the biggest slice of food (i.e. bread, cake, pizza, etc.). Have a conversation with your children as to what is a serving size. Give examples like how one oversized bagel is actually a great snack for two people. Encourage your children to be in touch with their feeling of hunger versus boredom. Also talk about eating until full and not to the point of being stuffed and uncomfortable. When children learn to eat when they are hungry and stop before they are full this will help them tackle the extra large portion craze.

Sleep Well

Spend time this month assessing (or reassessing) your family’s sleep. We know healthy sleep is critical for proper development and growth for young children, but we often forget the need for healthy sleep for everyone in the home—infants, children, teens, and adults. Our sleep patterns can influence our relationships, effective parenting, school or job performance, health and the overall quality of our family time. Protect sleeping areas and remove distractions (i.e. telephones, cell phones, television, and radios); keep the space for sleeping only. Also, encourage eating, reading and homework activities to be conducted at a table. Continue to aim for a regular schedule for evening meals and bedtime and provide 15-30 minutes of unwinding time before bed. So that children are not eating right before bed, conclude your last meal at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

Play Every Day

Spring time is a wonderful opportunity to reengage your family in activities that promote being outdoors. As the climate shifts into the new season and the days get longer, plan for the weather (i.e. rain boots, raincoats, and umbrellas) and go out into the elements. Get outside this month and put a spring in your step with activities that promote heart health – brisk walking, bike riding, jogging.  Set out to do some spring cleaning in your local park or playground, bring a few empty trash bags and expend energy filling up the bags and properly disposing of them. 

Eat Healthy   •   Play Every Day   •   Get Together   •   Go Outside   •   Sleep Well