Keeping your children active and eating healthy during the school holidays can seem like a daunting task, however with these simple suggestions, it will be easy and rewarding, knowing that your children are living a healthy lifestyle.

Why?

You may be thinking, why should they be healthy and active during the holidays, isn’t it a time for them to “chill out” and not have too many restrictions? Of course they should be able to rest if need be however children do have lots of energy to burn, and if they don’t burn it but continue to eat the same diet then they will put on weight, feel more fatigued and be generally unwell. Encouraging them and allowing them to stay active, is important for their health and spending time in nature is vital for their development. This article here further explains why being in nature is so important for children.

How?

• Less screen time and more park time! That sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Letting them run around in the park, taking them camping or staying on a family or friends farm are great ways for them to be active outside. Let them explore and enjoy being in the outdoors. Being winter, just make sure they are rugged up and you take them out in the warmest part of the day.
• Snow time! Another great way to get out in nature during our chilly winter is to go to the snow. In Melbourne we are very lucky to have Lake Mountain on our doorstep, which is perfect for tobogganing and snow/nature walks. It’s cheap and you can easily hire basic equipment.
• Kitchen time! Get them involved in preparing their meals or do some fun and healthy cooking together. Let them wash and peel vegetables, and for older children allow them to help chop up the fruit or vegetables. Letting them help out and be a part of the meal preparation encourages them to eat healthier food as children love to eat what they have helped to make. Start with simple tasks and gradually allow them to do more.
• Garden Time! Letting them get their hands dirty in the garden and become a little green thumb will also encourage them to want to eat fresh produce as they have been a part of the growing process. Show them which herbs are which and then ask them to go collect herbs when you need them, children love some responsibility and enjoy foraging in the garden.
• Family Time! Do some physical and fun activities as a family, such as bike riding, nature/bush walking, swimming at your local indoor pool, going ten pin bowling -just to name a few!
• Play Time! There’s nothing better than hearing children laughing and doing some activities they love with their friends or siblings. Balance all the outdoor fun with some imaginative and creative play time.
• Rest Time! Get them doing some child specific yoga and meditation, importantly do it with them, as leading by example is very powerful. You can easily buy a CD/DVD or download videos or mp3’s from the internet.

As you can see from the list, there is lots to fill the school holidays in with that isn’t based around just watching movies or being on the computer or mobile devices!

Check out these suggestions that are child friendly and healthy, for you to try with your children this school holidays:

• Fruit kebabs: chop up seasonal and organic (if possible) fruit into cubes or thick slices and place on a bamboo skewer (for younger children – make a fruit salad or cut off the sharp end of the skewer). Get your children involved in making these as they are a fun snack or dessert.
• Graze plate: create a graze plate for children that tend to graze rather then eat at set meal times. Have it on the table so they can come and eat when they need to rather than when they have to. Individualise them to suit their tastes but include some new foods so they can slowly be introduced to foods they might not normally eat. Some ideas for a graze plate include:
  • cos lettuce or mixed lettuce leaves
  • cherry tomatoes or quartered tomatoes
  • carrot, celery and capsicum sticks
  • sliced or cubed avocado or avocado dip
  • hummus dip
  • Raw and unsalted nuts and seeds (if they don’t have known allergies)
  • Dried fruits such as sultanas, dates, apricots and apple
  • Zucchini slice or fritters
  • Sliced roast vegetable frittata
• Soup: make a big batch of their favourite soup and have ready for their lunches – during winter, it’s comforting and healthy to have a warm soup instead of cold foods such as sandwiches.

I hope you and your children enjoy these school holidays and manage to stay active and healthy!

Thanks for reading this week’s post,

Erin.