Introducing Healthy Foods to Your Family

When it comes to picky eaters, we get how difficult it can be to introduce them to new foods. For some kids (and adults) pickiness can come from a texture, a smell, or color. While introducing your kids to new foods or getting them to eat their vegetables can be hard, keep in mind that the goal is to introduce your picky eater to new and healthy options. Here some tips for getting even your pickiest eater to try new foods:

Be patient. Getting your picky eater to eat the foods you want them to eat can be frustrating. Keep offering a wide variety of flavors, textures, and items to your picky eater. Our tastes and preferences will change with time, exposure, and experience.

Model good habits. Simply put, if you want your child to eat healthier foods, then you will need to eat healthier, too. Make choosing healthier options a habit for all your meals. Depending on how old your kids are, now may be a good time to talk about why we eat healthy food for healthier bodies.

Let them help. When you are choosing recipes, grocery shopping, and making meals, let your kids help. Being a part of the process can help them to understand why certain options are healthier. Having a hand in cooking dinner or packing lunchboxes can help them become more excited about eating it since they had a hand in making it.

Make it fun. Experiment with dinner for a fun family adventure. Make it an exploration of difference cultures by having a monthly dinner that focuses on a country and food. Have an Italian night with spaghetti and prosciutto, or a Japanese sushi night. Trying new food experiences and learning about new places can be exciting for youngsters.

Make substitutes. Sometimes, something as simple as substituting one vegetable for another can help ease them into trying new foods. Think tomatoes for red bell peppers, iceberg lettuce for Swiss chard or other healthier greens (which pack more in nutrients and essential vitamins than lighter greens), or green beans for sugar snap peas.

Make it an adventure.  Sometimes it’s the presentation that makes all the difference in getting your child to try new foods. Try cutting different foods with a cookie cutter or present it in a cute way like with these bento boxes. This new appearance can be enough to make your child brave enough to try something new.

Pack your pantry. Pack your pantry with healthier options to limit the temptation of unhealthy and processed foods. You and your kids will be more successful if there isn’t an extra bag of chips or stash of soda in the corner.

Sneak in healthy foods. Sneaking veggies into your meals can be an excellent way to give your kids essential vitamins and nutrients. For example, adding avocado or spinach into a smoothie can add plenty of healthy essentials without impacting the flavor or appearance. For other recipes that sneak in vegetables, visit kidsactivitesblog.com for 45 recipes that sneak in veggies.

5 Ways to Get Your Kids Active

An active and healthy lifestyle is not just for adults. In fact, kids need to be active just as much as their bigger counterparts. Being active as a kid sets the stage for a healthy lifestyle early on, making it much easier to continue throughout life. Encouraging your kids to be more active can be difficult at times, but when you get creative it becomes much more fun!

1. Tag, you’re it!

With warmer weather, outdoor activities are now an easier option. You can engage in games as simple as the classic tag, you can choose one of the many variations of tag, or make up your own. This will not only get your kids active, but you as well.

2. Don’t Touch the Lava!

You may have called it something else when you were young, but nearly every kid has played some variation of the game don’t touch the lava. This game can be played  just about anywhere, as long as it involves jumping from one thing to the next while not touching the ground. Your kids will use their balancing skills as well as concentration, all while jumping around and burning energy.

3. Yoga for the Kiddos

Yoga is trending for all ages. Moving through multiple challenging poses promotes creativity and confidence. Yoga also gives your children both mental and physical health benefits. It helps teach your kids relaxation to aid in managing stress at a young age.

4. Let’s go Fly a Kite

Flying kites is a traditional, fun activity. It allows your kids to use their imagination while running their kite through the wind. Plus, there are many varieties of shapes, animals and characters to choose. Buy them one featuring their favorite character, or help them to try their hand at creating their own!

5. Nature Walk

Nature walks can be fun and relaxing for people of all ages, especially kids. It gets you and your kids out and about while searching for wildlife. Bring a nature book along so your kids can point out when they see a specific creature or plant - learning and exercise at once? Yes, please!

Adding extra physical activity into your kids’ lives will benefit them for years to come. Plus, these activities are great opportunities for building your relationship with your kids!

If you and your kids are interested getting active through a Color-A-Thon run this summer, visit School-A-Thon on our website for more information.

Help Your Kids Make New Year's Resolutions Worth Keeping

How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution with the best of intentions only for it to fall through by Valentine’s Day? Committing to resolutions is never an easy feat, but it’s not impossible. Here are some tips to help your family make New Year’s resolutions worth sticking to this year.

Be mindful about resolutions and goals.  It’s important to talk about goals in a healthy way. As your family is discussing resolutions, have them think about the resolutions they are picking and discuss what successful-resolution keeping would mean to them. Focus on the positive of both past and future goals - a little optimism will go a long way. Pick healthy resolutions that will help them with long-term goals (i.e. “I will practice reading every night so I can read bigger books and expand my vocabulary). For healthy New Year’s resolution ideas for kids of all ages, check out this list from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Model resolution habits. It is important to have a ‘practice what you preach’ mentality as you are helping your kids keep their resolutions. This well help you stay accountable for your own resolutions and help instill a sense of responsibility in your child.

Everything is easier with a buddy. For many, buddying up with a sibling, parent, or friend makes sticking to a resolution a little bit easier. Consider making a family resolution, be it volunteering more often, cooking at home more often, or planning a family trip together. Resolutions can help bring your family closer together.

Set goals that help others. Kindness is the gift that keeps giving so it’s never too late to help your child set an altruistic resolution. Have your child make it a goal to help their school and organizations raise money through fundraising. You can learn more about the many kinds of fundraisers that Schoolathon offers in the links below:

Entrance Fee-Based Color-A-Thon Event

Donation-Based Color-A-Thon Event

“It’s Your Thon” School-A-Thon Event

Keeping resolutions successfully takes hard work, dedication, and commitment, but teaching your child that their hard work and commitment pays off is a glorious thing. Start the New Year with a clean slate and welcome all the possibilities to come.

Five Wonderful Ways to Stay Involved in the Community

It's easy to feel disconnected, as many families juggle activity after activity and relationships are more often developing online and through technology rather than with neighbors. There are, however, simple ways to get involved and bring a community closer together. To start you off, here are five wonderful ways to stay involved in the community:

Make the Time

This may seem simple, but nevertheless, it is an important place to begin. Developing a sense of community takes time and dedication to become successful. Treat and investment in your community as strongly as you with any other relationship you have, and in time, you will reap the benefits that come with strong community involvement.

Take it to the next level: Start small by introducing yourself to a neighbor you haven’t met or help a neighbor with a small project. Even the smallest gestures can make a big impact on a neighbor and friend.

Volunteer

Volunteering is the best way to engage with your community and peers while doing some good locally. Find a cause and a demographic you want to advocate for in the neighborhood. Do some research and see if there are opportunities at the community center, hospital, women’s shelter, library, or food kitchen. It’s a way to introduce your kids to what the world has to offer, and it’s an excellent lesson in being a good citizen. Giving back to your community can mean the world to people you meet, and it can awaken a sense of purpose in you.

Take it to the next level: Create your own event or volunteer opportunity for things your community needs. Maybe it is organizing a book drive for local students, starting a small library on your block, or organizing a neighborhood garage sale at the end of summer. Perhaps it’s starting a community garden that everyone can benefit from. Take initiative, and be the change you want to see in your community.

Be a People Person

Get to know people you see every day. You are bound to see certain people on a regular basis, and whether it’s your barista, someone who travels your same bus route, or other runners on your path, wouldn’t it be nice to establish a relationship with them? Not only can this be a way of making new connections and feeling engaged in your neighborhood, but maybe you will also gain a new friendship.

Take it to the next level: Befriend neighborhood pets. Dogs tend to recognize people they see and like on a regular basis, so even if you are not a people person, you will have a friendly face waiting to greet you.

Strengthen the Identity of Your Community

No matter what common interests you share, everyone can benefit from a clean, and safe neighborhood. Speak with neighbors or send out flyers to see if neighbors are interested in being involved. Organize clean-ups in your neighborhood or start an adopt-a-block system to keep your neighborhood clean. Set up a neighborhood crime watch to keep the neighborhood safe. A shared sense of pride in a community can bring neighbors together and keep everyone engaged and involved.

Take it to the next level: Establish a community board if there isn’t one in your neighborhood. A community board will be an excellent way to generate ideas and create social events like block parties, potlucks, and BBQs.

Establish Regular Social Gatherings

Establish a weekly or monthly occasion to socialize with friends and neighbors. It can be a bar trivia night, a Sunday potluck brunch or a game night hosted at home. Make a point to do this regularly because fostering bonds with friends and neighbors will not only keep you sane in a hectic world, it will help your emotional well-being to have strong relationships.

Take it to the next level: Imagine how you would feel if you engaged in healthy and active social gatherings. Organize a runners’ or hikers club. Find a Groupon event for yoga or swap healthy recipes. Who says socializing can’t be fun and healthy?

Building an Active and Healthy Lifestyle

The beginning of September can be a bit disappointing because it signals the end of our beloved summer and the beginning of fall. You’ve worked hard all summer to get in shape and be proud of the progress that you have made maintaining those morning jogs and accumulating all the time you’ve put in the gym, but now it’s time to finish strong and build an active and healthy life. Here are a few tips to help:

Partner in Crime

Don’t do it by yourself. It’s easy to push yourself to your very limits when you have someone right there next to you. This person can be your best friend, sibling, neighbor, or even mother. To make things even more interesting, create little contests, like who can do the most push-ups or who can run the longest without walking on the treadmill. Besides, having a little competition never hurt anybody!

Hit Up the Local Grocery Store

Staying in shape takes a little more than just running a mile and doing some crunches… It also requires a good diet and some self-discipline to stir away from those midnight cravings. You don’t need to start saying “Goodbye pizza, hello broccoli,” but rather surround yourself with healthier food at home and only eat junk food in moderation.

Set Goals

You can ask any person who has experienced some sort of success on how they got to where they are today, and they are going to tell you that they set goals for themselves. First ask yourself “what do I want to achieve through fitness?” SET THE BAR HIGH! Next, make a bunch of short-term goals that will help you climb the ladder to reach that long-term dream. Write these down on a notepad or in a diary of some sort and read them every morning when you start your day just to give you a little push of motivation.

To be in shape is a phase, but to stay in shape is a lifestyle. Now quit reading this and get out there and find your motivation!

Great Ready for an Excellent First Day of School

New year, new schedules, new excitements; With a lazy, sunshine-filled summer, you might ask yourself, “How does one even begin to prepare for a new school year?” It doesn’t have to be too complicated. Follow these seven tips on how to prepare your family and yourself for the first day of school.

1)   Organize.

For many families, wrapping up summer is a big part of getting into a school routine. Finish any summertime projects that are on your to-do list, help your kids organize their rooms and closets and focus on central areas like the kitchen, pantry, and living spaces. Starting with a clean and organized home can do wonders in preparing for the school year.

2)   Figure out the Technical Stuff

Get all the paperwork and forms completed, as well as any physicals or health check-ups. Make sure everyone knows the emergency numbers, contact information, and transportation schedules to and from school. For younger kids, help them find their classrooms, and for older kids, encourage them to figure out where all their classes are before school begins.

3)   Sleep Regularly.

With exciting things to do all summer it’s not hard to realize that the kids have been going to bed late and sleeping in every morning. During the school year, this routine can be problematic. Starting a week or two before the first day, get your kids to bed at a decent hour and wake up an hour or two before their school day would start. Kids between ages 3 and 6 need 10 to 12 hours of sleep, while teens, 13-18, benefit most from 8 to 9 hours of quality sleep.

4)   Set Up the Night.

To help your kids start their year on top, help them prepare everything the night before. Load up all necessary school supplies into their backpacks and leave it by the door next to any sports or extracurricular activities equipment they may need. Have them pick out an outfit that they feel comfortable and confident wearing. If they pack their own lunches, help them prepare as much of it as possible. These simple steps will ensure that there’s no rush the next morning, and they can enjoy the next step...

5)   Eat Breakfast.

Stop. Drop the bags. Put down the phone. Eat breakfast. There’s nothing else that will prepare your kids as much as fueling up for the day. Help them prepare a nutritious and filling breakfast that is also fast and easy and will sustain them until lunch to prevent aches, mood swings, and low energy later in the day. Make sure to pack a light snack to refuel mid-morning.

6)   Use a Planner

Whether you use a calendar to help plan important events and appointments for little ones or if you are encouraging teens to organize their own schedules, having a house central or personal planner will be essential to keep your family organized for the year.

7)   Have Fun.

No matter your child’s age, start their day with some good, old-fashioned love and encouragement. A new school year is the best opportunity to meet new friends and try new things. Encourage them to be open-minded and to be confident. Who knows how much fun they’ll have and how much they’ll grow this year when they start out with a bang?

Why You Should Encourage Your Kids to Join a Sports Team

Have you ever thought about sports as more than just a game? The core  goal of sports is to support being active and having fun, but do you ever think about all the life lessons that are taught through competition and sports? Here are some reasons why you, as a parent, should encourage your child to join team sports!

Being a Part of Something

There aren't many things that feel better than a sense of belonging. A fear of rejection is a basic human instinct, but we have a bigger fear of our children being rejected by their fellow students and peers. Having your son or daughter play team sports will enable them to mingle with more kids, create a larger friend base, and eliminate or lessen the chances that your child ever feels lost or lonely.

Supports an Active/Healthy Lifestyle

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17% of American children are considered obese. Don’t let your kid become a negative statistic! When you encourage your child to play sports, you are also encouraging a lifestyle that will impact his or her life forever!

No Time for Trouble

It’s no secret that children who play sports are less likely to get into trouble. In fact, there is an old saying about idle hands that correctly interprets exactly what can happen if an impressionable youth is left to their own devices too often. With a kid’s time being occupied by practicing, training, or playing a sport, there just simply isn’t time for them to contemplate irrational decisions that will drive you crazy.

Sports Create Leaders

It doesn’t matter at what age or level your kid is playing at, they learn leadership skills in a hands-on format. If you child is shy, they may learn how to be a non-vocal, lead by example leader. If your child is outgoing, they may learn how to use their voice to inspire and motivate their teammates. Regardless of the personality type of your son or daughter, they will take the leadership skills they learned from their youth sporting experience into their future life experiences.

Sports have been known to bring families closer, show kids the true meaning of determination, and help set children up for successful futures. Encouraging your child to participate is a very important thing because sometimes all a kid needs is a push in the right direction to realize what they want to do. Just ALWAYS remember this one rule: Don’t push your kids too hard with sports, because eventually it puts a lot of pressure on your child and they will eventually quit having fun. With fun, any added experience is lost on a child.

Stretches for Before and After Sports Practice

Exercise at any age is beneficial to your health- both mental and physical. It is equally important to encourage stretching before and after sports practice and games to keep kids' muscles limber and avoid or reduce soreness. Here are a few simple stretches for kids to do before and after taking part in sports activities:

Spine Stretches

• Put your hands in the air and reach as high as you can.
• Hold your arms above your head and lean to your left side and hold for ten seconds, repeat on the right side.
• Keep your legs straight and spread them shoulder width apart. Lean over and reach down to your left foot for ten seconds. Repeat on your right side.

 

Upper Body Stretches

• Cross your left arm across your chest and hold for ten seconds. Repeat with your right arm.
• Lift your left arm behind your head and touch your right shoulder. To deepen the stretch, hold your elbow and pull lightly with your right arm. Repeat on the other side.
• Put your arms behind your back and interlace your fingers. Bending forward at the waist, lift your arms up until you feel the stretch. Release after ten seconds.
  

  

  
  
  

Lower Body Stretches

• Stand on your right foot and bend your left leg and hold your ankle with your left hand. (Be careful, this stretch requires balance). After holding for ten seconds, repeat on the other side.
• Sit down and put the bottoms of your feet together in front of you. Pull your feet in closer for a deeper stretch. Hold for ten seconds.
• While sitting, put your feet straight in front of you, lean over and try to touch your feet. Spread your legs apart and reach for the left leg and hold for ten seconds, repeat this on the right leg.

 

 

 

 

While stretching, it is very important to hold the stretch in place without bouncing. If you are in pain or outside of your comfort level, release your stretch and move on. At School-A-Thon, we believe it is important for students to lead an active lifestyle and learn the importance of staying healthy. For more benefits of staying active or family fitness ideas, refer to some of our other blogs.

If your child has an injury, or is training for a specific sport, consult a physical therapist or athletic trainer to determine the safest and most effective stretching exercises.

Introducing Feed on Fitness

When we formed our Color-A-Thon fundraisers,our goal was a simple one; we wanted to help schools raise money while promoting student health and fitness.

So, in honor of this smashing success, we decided to introduce “Feed On Fitness.”

Feed On Fitness is a brand new Twitter account which functions as a source of exercise and nutrition tips for students. Proper diet and activity isn’t a once in a while thing; it should happen every day! So, to keep you moving in the right direction, we tweet everything from at-home exercises and healthy recipes to motivational quotes and lively activities to do with your kids!
 

Push yourself to see results you will be proud of! #Fitness #Health #WorkOut #Motivation pic.twitter.com/kbGtXma8fO
— Feed On Fitness (@FeedOnFitness) November 14, 2014

Feed On Fitness is a great, convenient way to find ideas to improve your child’s health. If you want to see what we have to offer just visit: https://twitter.com/FeedOnFitness Also, remember to tweet at us using @FeedOnFitness or use the hashtag #FeedOnFitness

Let us know what you think of our Twitter feed by commenting below!