Greetings

Happy New Year! Welcome to our January newsletter! As always, we provide an overview of what is happening within our childcare community. This month we will focus on developing healthy habits for a new year of wellness in Australian families.

New year, new beginnings, and new opportunities. It’s the perfect time to focus on establishing healthy habits that can set the tone for the year ahead. Through a holistic combination of physical activity, nutritious eating, good hygiene practices, and adequate sleep into daily routines, we can foster a generation of healthy, happy children.

Understanding the Importance of Healthy Habits

The early years of a child’s life are crucial for establishing habits that promote lifelong health and well-being. During this period, children experience rapid physical and cognitive development, making it an ideal time to introduce positive behaviours and healthy habits. Making good food choices, staying active, practising good hygiene, and protecting against the sun have profound impacts on a child’s growth and development.

Benefits of Healthy Habits

1. Physical Health: Regular physical activity helps build strong muscles and bones, while a balanced diet supports overall health.

2. Mental Well-being: Engaging in active play can improve mood and reduce anxiety.

3. Cognitive Development: Nutritional choices directly affect brain development and learning capabilities.

4. Social Skills: Participating in group activities fosters cooperation and teamwork.

By encouraging these habits early on, we can help children avoid issues such as obesity and dental problems later in life.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Children

As children get shorter time for active play, it’s more important than ever to squeeze in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. A mix of aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening activities should also be incorporated at least three times a week. Here are ways you can incorporate physical activity into a child’s daily routine:

Outdoor play: Encourage children to play outside whenever possible. Running, jumping, climbing, and playing sports not only promote fitness but also enhance social interactions.

Family walks or bike rides: Make it a family affair by going for walks or bike rides together. This not only promotes physical health but also strengthens family bonds.

Dance parties: Turn on some music and have a dance-off in the living room. Dancing is a great way for children to express themselves while getting their hearts pumping. 

Active games: Introduce games that require movement, such as tag or hide-and-seek. These games are not only fun but also encourage children to be active without it feeling like exercise.

Limiting Sedentary Behaviour

While it’s essential to promote physical activity, it’s equally important to limit sedentary behaviours. It is recommended that children have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time per day. To reduce screen time, here are some creative ways to enforce no screens:

Create Screen-Free Zones: Designate areas in your home where screens are not allowed, such as the dining room or bedrooms.

Encourage Alternative Activities: Provide a variety of toys and games that promote active play instead of screen time.

Set a Good Example: Model healthy behaviours by limiting your own screen time during family activities.

Nutrition: Building a Balanced Diet

Nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining healthy habits. Families should focus on consuming foods from the five basic food groups–vegetables, fruits, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Here are some tips for promoting healthy eating habits:

Meal Planning Tips

1. Involve Children in Meal Preparation: Encourage kids to help with cooking; this can make them more interested in trying new foods.

2. Offer Variety: Provide a wide range of fruits and vegetables in different colours to make meals visually appealing.

3. Healthy Snacks: Stock up on nutritious snacks like fruit slices, yogurt, or whole-grain crackers instead of sugary options.

4. Hydration: Encourage drinking water over sugary drinks like soft drinks or fruit juices.

Family Mealtime Practices

Eat Together: Make mealtimes family events where everyone sits together without distractions from screens.

Discuss Food Choices: Talk about where food comes from and the benefits of different foods during meals.

Good Hygiene Practices 

Teaching children about good hygiene is essential for preventing illness and establishing lifelong habits. Here are some key hygiene practices to instil in young children:

Handwashing

• Teach children proper handwashing techniques using soap and water before meals and after playing outside.

• Make handwashing fun by singing songs while they scrub their hands.

Oral Hygiene

• Start cleaning your baby’s gums with a soft cloth after feedings.

• Once teeth appear, use a small toothbrush with water until age two when fluoride toothpaste can be introduced under supervision.

Sleep Hygiene for Children

Adequate sleep is crucial for children’s growth and development. Establish healthy sleep routines using these tips.

• Having a consistent bedtime routine with regular bedtimes and wake-up times help regulate sleep patterns.

• Avoiding screens one hour before bedtime helps promote better sleep quality.

• Having a comfortable sleep environment help children fall asleep faster and get better sleep.

Involving the Whole Family

It’s much easier to form healthy habits when everyone is in on it. Creating an environment that supports healthy habits requires involvement from all family members.

Family Challenges: Setting up monthly challenges where family members aim to meet specific health goals together–like drinking more water or completing daily steps.

Celebrate Achievements: Recognise milestones achieved by family members regarding health goals; this could be through small rewards or family outings.

 The Takeaway

As we embark on this new year, let’s commit to fostering healthy habits within our families that will last a lifetime. By prioritising physical activity, nutritious eating, good hygiene practices, and adequate sleep, we can create an environment conducive to growth and well-being for our children. 

Let’s kick off January 2025 with enthusiasm towards building these healthy habits together!

0-12 month development

‘It’s OK to walk away, but never shake a crying baby’

Author: Bea Swallow

There are moments when a baby simply just needs to let it all out in one big cry. It might be grating to the ears and taxing on one’s patience but an initiative is urging struggling parents to simply walk away. Frustrating as it is to not be able to stop a baby from crying, campaigners are training parents to simply walk away instead of shaking a crying baby in an effort to make it stop.

Read more about why it’s okay to walk away from a crying baby here.

1-2 year development

Beyond screen time: Complex factors shaping child development

Author: Curtin University

Views on screen time usage has been largely in the negative but a study challenges that it’s more than the amount of screen time a young child has. Rather, it’s based on complex factors such as context and content of screen use.

Find out more about the study about young children, their screen time use, and its impact on their development here.

2-3 year development

Why do toddlers mix up their words? The explanation is too sweet.

Author: Stefania Sainato

Do you have a toddler who calls all four-legged animals as a dog or  all lights as the moon? That’s okay because their brains are still developing and recalibrating, organizing the associations among objects, words, and concepts. 

Learn more about how toddlers come up with these adorable word associations here.

3-4 year development

3 reasons why kids stick Lego up their nose

Author: Anna Girardi

Toddlers are a prime age for exploring, pushing boundaries, and exploring anything and everything around them, mainly using their five senses. However, this ‘curiosity-based learning’ can also be detrimental to their development especially when they don’t have a fully-developed sense of risk.

Find out other reasons why toddlers stick Lego up their noses here.

4-5 year development

Why children play the same game or watch the same show over (and over) again

Authors: Javier Aguado-Orea and Diarmuid Verrier

Do you have a child who likes watching the same shows and episodes repeatedly? It turns out, there are many cognitive processes that benefit from children watching the same shows, such as pattern-finding, well-being effects, and learning. 

Learn more about why children love to watch the same shows again and again here.

Build a Confetti Cannon

Ring in the new year with a confetti cannon! This STEM activity will have children practise their fine motor skills, handling scissors and controlling it as they cut confetti and crafting the confetti cannon. 

Find the instructions on how to create a festive confetti cannon here.

New Year’s Craft: Wishing Tree

Start the year right by creating a wishing tree and having children write down their wishes and hopes for the new year. This activity will help them develop their fine motor skills cutting and designing their wishing tree ornaments and the wishing tree itself.

See the steps on how to craft a new year’s wishing tree here.

Magic Mug Cake

Make the first day of childcare more festive with a magic mug cake. This simple recipe only needs a recipe while children practise their numeracy, measurement, and fine motor skills as they mix and design their very own mug cake. Only needs adult supervision running the microwave and getting the freshly hot mug out of the microwave oven.

Get the recipe for the magic mug cake here.

Cupid’s Arrow Balloon Physics Challenge – STEM Activity

In this STEM activity, children will learn not only how to shoot arrows but how and why arrows shoot and land the way they do. Children will also be able to exercise their fine motor skills as they cut and craft to form the arrow-shooting mechanism.

Get the instructions on how to make this cupid’s arrow balloon here.