Tips for Healthy Eating and Exercise for Preschoolers

As a parent, caregiver, or youth educator, it’s important to support the healthy development of young and active preschoolers. Continuing our education as role models to perceptive children is crucial to learning life-long healthy living. To support your journey in discovering how to support the best growth in the children in your life, here are a few tips to guide you along the way.

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is an exciting opportunity to explore new and nutritious foods. Encourage your child to try new foods and to be adventurous with their food choices; offer a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats at mealtimes. Make meal times a pleasant and social experience by sitting down together as a group, whether that is as a family or community, and talking about the foods that you’re eating.

Exercise

When it comes to exercise, preschoolers have a lot of energy to burn! It’s essential to make sure they have plenty of opportunities to engage in physical activity throughout the day. Encourage them to run, jump, climb, and play outside as much as possible. If you’re stuck indoors due to bad weather, there are still plenty of opportunities for indoor play. Dance parties, obstacle courses, and indoor games are all great ways to get them moving!

Another way to inspire exercise in preschoolers is to get them involved in sports. Signing your child up for a sports team, such as soccer or baseball, can help to improve their physical fitness and teamwork skills. Encourage children to try different types of physical activities, such as swimming, dancing, or biking.

Sleep

Sleep is crucial for preschoolers, and they need between 11 and 14 hours of sleep per day, including naps. Encourage your child to have a consistent bedtime routine and to get to bed at the same time every night; this will help to ensure that they are well-rested and able to engage in physical activity during the day.

Promoting healthy habits in preschoolers is essential for setting the foundation for a lifetime of good health. As a leader in children’s lives, it’s important to continue to learn and grow our tools to lead to healthy active living. Whether you work towards encouraging your child to be adventurous with their food choices, providing opportunities for physical activity, or ensuring that your child gets enough sleep, you have the power to shape a child’s future health. By following these tips, you can help your preschoolers develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

At Soul Connexion, our Fine Arts Program offers a variety of creative activities for children to develop essential skills and explore their interests. Our program includes dance, yoga, fitness, music, art, and drama, providing a perfect environment for children to discover their creativity.