Being Active

Being physically active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of young children.  Set a good example by going for a walk or a bike ride.  Playing in the park or swimming with your child shows them being active is fun. 

All movement counts.  The more the better! 

Why not try:

messy play, jumping, walking, dancing, swimming, playground activities, climbing, active play, like hide and seek, throwing and catching, scooting, riding a bike, being outdoors

Healthy Eating

Just like adults, children should aim to eat 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables every day.  Try to avoid feeding your child large portions and try not to make them finish everything on the plate and eat more than they want to.

Have fun finding some healthy swaps using the app.

There are some great recipes on the website too. 

https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/food-facts/healthier-food-swaps/

Oral Hygiene

Did you know?

Nearly a quarter of 5 year olds in England have tooth decay, with 3 or 4 teeth affected on average. Tooth extraction is one of the most common procedures for children under 6 in hospital. Extraction is also the most common reason for hospital admission for children aged 6 to 10. 

Click on the link below to find out how to take care of your teeth

https://www.henry.org.uk/videos/healthyteeth 

Sleep is Important

Having a good nights sleep and the right amount of sleep is important and helps young children to stay healthy.

• Most 2 year olds will sleep for 11-12 hours at night, with 1 or 2 naps in the daytime.
• Most children aged 3 or 4 will need from 8 - 14 hours sleep and some will still need a nap during the day.

Establishing a good sleep routine will help:

• Decide what time you want your child to go to bed
• Remove all screens from their bedroom at night.
• Have a 'winding down' time around 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Set a limit on how much time you spend with your child when you put them to bed.  For example, read only 1 story, then tuck in and say goodnight.
• Give you child their favourite toy, dummy (if they use one) or comforter before settling into bed.
• Leave a dim light on if necessary.
• If your child gets up, keep taking them back to bed again with as little fuss as possible.
• Try to be consistent and be prepared to repeat this routine for several nights.

This website has more information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/helping-your-baby-to-sleep/

Try to Limit Screen Time

There's no hard and fast advice on how much is too much, but experts say children should have no more than 2 hours of screen time or TV each day.

Advice from the Health Visiting Team