As we start a new year, many of us will set goals for ourselves or focus on habits we would like to stop or start. Now is the perfect time to consider your preschooler as well! With holiday breaks and celebrations, we often see a lapse in our routines. Your child may have eaten way more sweets than usual, had increased screen time or important routines like naps and bedtime may have fallen to the wayside. Use the beginning of the year to support your preschooler’s healthy habits, introduce new habits and cut back on those less than helpful ones that may have crept in.
Below are some ideas about healthy habits that can support your preschooler’s development as well as create healthy routines that support their growth, development and independence!
- Try new foods: Many preschoolers are described by parents as picky eaters. With the realization they can request foods and turn away from foods they may like less, your preschoolers diet can quickly become very limited. Offering food in fun ways including “taste testing” new fruits and veggies and allowing your child to shop for foods and help you make them can greatly increase their likelihood of trying new foods. Remember, young children often need to try foods many times before liking them, so don’t give up!
- Drink more water: Offering water in place of juice, soda or sports drinks can cut unnecessary sugar and calories from your child’s diet while keeping them properly hydrated. Offering water in a water bottle and allowing juice at a certain time (ex. One low sugar cup of juice with a snack once per day) can increase the amount of water your child consumes.
- Brush teeth: Dental health is very important, even taking care of those baby teeth your child will eventually lose. Making sure your child is up to date on their dental visits (they should be seeing a dentist twice per year for routine dental exams by preschool) is important. Introducing habits such as brushing twice per day for 2 minutes and flossing is critical because these habits will stay with your child as they age. Offering fun toothpaste flavors, colorful toothbrushes and timers are a great way to make a routine activity more enjoyable for your child.
- Limit Screen Time: Screens have become such a part of our lives that we often forget children do not “need” any screen time at all. With that being said your preschooler may enjoy watching a favorite show or movie and you may enjoy a few moments of quiet! It is important to find a balance between hands on play and screens, with hands on play being the vast majority of how your child spends their time. Setting limits on screen time and allowing it at certain points of the day can help it be predictable for your child and help you to avoid screen time struggles.
- Hit the sheets early: Sleep is critical for your preschooler’s brain development and emotional regulation. Ensuring your child has a consistent bed time (and if they still nap, naptime) routine is key to their health and your sanity. A cranky preschooler is no fun for anyone and sleep can make a huge difference. Consistent routines include, completion of the same tasks before bed each night- bath time, putting on pajamas, small snack, tooth brushing, reading, etc. helps going to bed predictable for your child and can help eliminate bedtime struggles.
- Move More: Ensuring your preschooler has ample time to move their body allows for them to develop their gross motor skills, offload their energy in a healthy way and improve sleep quality. Preschoolers NEED to move so creating opportunities for them to do so both indoors and outdoors is important.
Focusing on positive and healthy routines benefit both you and your child! As we all know, change doesn’t happen overnight. Any changes you make in your child’s routine may be met with resistance even if the change is positive. It is important to be kind to yourself and remind yourself of the reason you are making the change in the first place. We would love to know what you are focusing on with your child as we start this new year!
