It’s that time of year again: back to school! As a mom, I know that you don’t only have to finding the perfect backpack, buying school supplies, and shopping for back-to-school clothes. Keeping your little one healthy is just as important and It’s easy to overlook during this stressful time of year.
Below are 5 back-to-school wellness tips to protect your children and keep them happy and healthy during the transition from summer vacation to the classroom!
Schedule a check-up with their doctor
It can definitely be a pain to schedule an annual physical exam. That being said, it’s super important to make sure that child is healthy and free of viruses before heading back to school! If your little one wants to play sports throughout the school year, now would be a good time to sneak in a physical.
Start the day off right with a solid breakfast!
Taking the time to eat breakfast as a family is a great way to prepare a healthy breakfast while also spending quality time together. Try sneaking in a protein and some fiber to keep everyone satisfied until their lunch period!
Need some high protein or high fiber breakfast ideas?
- Scrambled eggs with whole grain toast and peanut butter
- Fresh fruit with high-protein yogurt with a small handful of nuts or seeds
- Oatmeal with fresh fruit and nut or seed butter
Pack healthy snacks for lunch
Packing nutritious snacks for your kid’s lunch is the perfect opportunity to sneak in a little extra health. Beware! Watch out for nuts because most school districts restrict the consumption of nuts due to them being a major allergen! Another thing to look out for is added sugars in things like trail mix and greek yogurt. It’s easy for them to sneak into snacks!
Need some ideas for healthful snacks?
- Fresh fruit
- Trail mix (watch out for added sugars)
- Greek yogurt (look for high protein)
- Baby carrots with hummus
- Bottled water
Remind your kids to wash their hands
Washing your hands is a proven and effective way to avoid passing germs around. I know it’s not easy to get your kids into hand washing…most kids find it to be pretty boring! Make it fun by asking them to sing Happy Birthday as they wash their hands!
Ideally, your kids will wash their hands with good old fashioned soap and water. That being said, if you are in a pinch, hand sanitizers work too!
Keep them moving after school
Movement and exercise is crucial for kids for a variety of reasons! It’s important to incorporate sports and exercise into your child’s daily routine to keep them healthy. Enroll them in after-school activities or sports that they are interested in! If that’s simply not their thing, you can enjoy a walk or bike ride with your kids after school or when you get home from work.