March 26th, 2020

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Times have changed, but having healthy habits should remain the same, it’s just heightened for now. Research has found that a healthy habit is formed when you do something for at least 21 days. As adults, we teach our children to wash their hands often, after they go to the washroom, after they play outdoors, when they sneeze, make a mess and before meals and snacks. Today, we just need to remind them more often, hopefully it’s already a habit.
Healthy Hippo is sharing coloring pages for families to do with their children (scroll down to download). Positive reinforcement is always welcomed in any situation; use these as coloring pages for your children to write and draw in. Ask them first, “What are healthy habits?” to open the line of communications with them. Ask them, “Who do you know that has healthy habits,” to let them think about things. Allow them to write in their journal and draw pictures to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Ask them, “What is your favorite food?” Is it a healthy choice? If not, discuss healthier choices that they can be making.
Below are some simple ideas to help teach healthy habits:
1. Be a role model
2. Wash your hands often
3. Choose nutritional foods
4. Choose healthy snacks
5. Brush your teeth
6. Exercise
7. Keep your mind healthy, read
8. Do puzzles
9. Have conversations, communicate, keep your mind active
10. A healthy body is as important as a healthy mind
Teaching our children these vital core values shapes them into their own character and helps them to gain a deeper awareness to develop these positive character traits. I’m a visual learner and guess many of you are as well. Use old magazines to cut pictures out and let your kids glue them onto another piece of paper, then use as a poster and visual reminder! Here are some ideas on what to look for in the magazine:
– Find healthy foods
– Find hygiene products
– Find people exercising
– Find items for building a healthy body
– Find items for building a healthy mind
Discuss with your family and let them know what you expect from them in order to form healthy habits. It’s not an easy task to always eat healthily, and I find myself struggling at times with this. What I’ve done for myself is to limit the cravings. When I really want a piece of chocolate cake, I eat just a few bites rather than an entire piece. It’s the little things that will make a difference and become healthier habits in your life.
Here are a few links to watch Healthy Hippo teach healthy habits for your family:
Characters of Character
Healthy Hippo On Hand Washing
Healthy Hippo Discussion and Coloring Pages
Learn more online at https://www.charactersofcharacter.org/
Coloring pages:
Healthy Hippo Coloring Pages 2
Healthy Hippo Coloring Pages 1