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Healthy Habits for Kids

Topic Overview

Habits are hard to break. That's why the sooner in life we build good, healthy habits, the easier it is to keep them and stay as healthy as possible. And when good habits are in place, it's easier to resist bad ones.

Your child's habits start with you

The most important thing to remember is that you are your child's role model. Your habits affect your children's habits.

If your habits are unhealthy—smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or always expecting the worst, for example—your child is more likely to get those habits.

If your habits are healthy—eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, looking forward to tomorrow, for example—your children are more likely to build those habits in their own lives.

What follows is help and advice for building good, lifelong habits in four areas:

  1. Healthy eating.
  2. Regular physical activity.
  3. Staying safe and healthy.
  4. Healthy thinking.

Healthy eating

Healthy eating links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Regular physical activity

Physical activity links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Staying safe and healthy

Health and safety links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Health

Safety

Healthy thinking

Healthy thinking links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Think positive:

Manage stress:

Prevent bullying:

Other Places To Get Help

Organizations

HealthyChildren.org
141 Northwest Point Boulevard
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: (847) 434-4000
Web Address: www.healthychildren.org
 

This American Academy of Pediatrics website has information for parents about childhood issues, from before the child is born to young adulthood. You'll find information on child growth and development, immunizations, safety, health issues, behavior, and much more.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Body and Mind
1600 Clifton Road, MS C-04
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-800-311-3435
(404) 639-3534
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Web Address: www.bam.gov
 

This CDC website is for children 9 to 13 years old. It gives kids the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. There are interactive tools about fitness, safety, disease, stress, and more.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Healthy Living
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA  30333
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
TDD: 1-888-232-6348
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Web Address: www.cdc.gov/HealthyLiving
 

This Web site has information about things you can do to help yourself and your family members be healthy. Topics address child development, physical activity, healthy eating, reproductive health, mental health, and more.

KidsHealth for Parents, Children, and Teens
10140 Centurion Parkway North
Jacksonville, FL  32256
Phone: (904) 697-4100
Fax: (904) 697-4220
Web Address: www.kidshealth.org
 

This website is sponsored by the Nemours Foundation. It has a wide range of information about children's health, from allergies and diseases to normal growth and development (birth to adolescence). This website offers separate areas for kids, teens, and parents, each providing age-appropriate information that the child or parent can understand. You can sign up to get weekly emails about your area of interest.

References

Other Works Consulted

  • Ertem IO (2011). Child development. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph’s Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 34–42. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Kelly S, et al. (2011). Correlates among healthy lifestyle cognitive beliefs, healthy lifestyle choices, social support, and healthy behaviors in adolescents: Implications for behavioral change strategies and future research. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 25(4): 216–223.

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Catherine D. Serio, PhD - Behavioral Health
Last Revised December 9, 2011

Last Revised: December 9, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics & Catherine D. Serio, PhD - Behavioral Health

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