Back To School Tips

BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS FOR HEALTHY, ACTIVE STUDENTS

All Students:

• Insist that your children eat breakfast every day, as it provides fuel for the brain to learn and helps them maintain a healthy weight.
• Keep nutritious foods, like cut-up vegetables and fruit, cheese sticks, low-fat yogurt and butter-free popcorn on hand to make healthy snacking easy.
• If your child has anaphylaxis, coordinate with the school principal on an updated emergency plan that best meets your child’s needs.
• Schedule regular dental and any necessary medical checkups.
• Encourage your children to choose milk or water at meals instead of sugary drinks, energy drinks with excessive caffeine or pop.
• Get children active through sports, or go for nightly family walks or bike rides.
• Develop good hand-washing habits as frequent hand-washing reduces the spread of bacterial, cold and flu viruses.

Primary Students:

• Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your children’s snacks and lunches every day.
• Include your child when packing lunches so they can learn to make healthy choices early on.
• Help your children learn about and understand Canada’s Food Guide which encourages a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
• Take family walks with your children and, if possible, walk them to school.
• Join or co-ordinate a Walking School Bus or Bicycle Train to help your children get to school safely with adult supervision: http://www.dashbc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=80
• Set up a regular teeth-brushing routine and ensure your children are brushing and flossing correctly.
• Introduce your children to active games they can play on their own, like hopscotch or jumping rope. When more children are around, introduce tag, soccer or baseball.
  

Intermediate/Middle Students:

• Whenever possible, encourage your children to walk, ride, rollerblade or skateboard to school instead of driving them.
• Suggest that your children take the dog for a walk before and after school.
• Limit your children’s screen time. Explain to your children that it's important to sit less and move more in order to stay at a healthy weight.
• Continue to encourage healthy eating habits. Use Canada’s Food Guide to plan healthy meals and snacks, as they have different nutritional needs from children and adults.
• Teach your children to avoid less-nutritious foods – foods high in sugar, fat and sodium, and help them learn to replace these foods with more nutritious snacks instead.

Secondary Students:

• Encourage your teenagers to get involved in intramural or after-school sports.
• Suggest your teenagers take a class at the local community centre or encourage them to participate in a walking or hiking group.
• Place your older children in charge of some of the family’s meals and grocery shopping so they learn how to buy, prepare and enjoy healthy meals using Canada’s Food Guide.
• Encourage your teens to get plenty of rest to ensure they are alert and ready to learn at school.