KidFit Online

Kids love to cook and want to help in the kitchen. When they are young they pretend to cook in the kitchen, make mud pies in the sandbox, and what kid hasn’t made bubble cakes in the bath tub?  Kids do cooking activities all the time!

Sharing your kitchen can be the first step to a healthy lifestyle for your child by teaching them nutrition and fitness.  Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to get kids in the kitchen!  Not only will their self esteem increase, but they will learn time management, measurements, reading and team work.

Here are 10 reasons why you should do cooking activities with your children.

1. Learning to cook helps kids to learn about nutrition and healthy eating. They are growing up with fast food and junk food at their fingertips, which is part of the reason why child obesity is on the rise! Teaching kids to cook will help instill skills to last them a lifetime.
2. Boost their self esteem. If your child needs a boost of self confidence, (and who doesn’t!) cooking in the kitchen will do just that. They are accomplishing a task, learning something important and contributing to the family.
3. Create family time and bonding. Take time to cook with your kids and they will have memories that they, in turn, can pass on to their families. It may take a longer time to get the meal or snack done but the moments with your children will be priceless. (Just remember to have patience. Don’t worry about flour on the floor or spilled milk).
4. Kids will be more apt to eat what they make. Perhaps, it is the enthusiasm of creating something themselves, but they will be more likely to eat whatever they had a hand in making.
5. Kids learn real lessons in science, language, math and creativity. Cooking will help reinforce all these subjects! Visit What do Kids Learn While Cooking page for more information.
6. What a great way to learn life skills. This can be especially helpful when kids are on their own and won’t have to rely on fast food and junk food to sustain them.
7. They can help contribute to the family and they can feel the importance of helping.
8. They are working together as a team, whether it is with a parent or with a sibling to get the job done.
9. Cooking teaches them planning and making choices.
10. Practice creativity and imagination. Kids cooking activities are a great way to express themselves and enjoy their creations.

Find more information at Kids Cooking Activities

Follow some easy tips to make sure everyone has a fun and safe Haloween!

• Accompany your young kids while they are trick or treating.  If your kids are old enough to go out on their own, make sure they are with a group of friends.
• Place reflective tape on your kids’ costumes and bags so that drivers can see them more clearly.
• Make sure you look over all the candy your kids bring home before they consume any of it.
• Always have a flashlight handy with trick or treating.
• Tell your kids not to enter homes unless you’re with them.  It’s safer to stay outside.
• Make sure your kids only eat store-wrapped treats. If the treats are homemade make sure you know the person who made them before giving them the ok for consumption.

Find more information at Center for Disease Control and Prevention

(http://www.cdc.gov/Family/halloween/index.htm)

With the kids back in school, school bus safety isn’t the only thing you need to worry about.  Many kids are carrying a dangerous amount of weight in their backpacks that can have long term effects on their backs.  As a result of heavy backpacks, students can strain or stretch muscles, deteriorate posture, cause spin injury and make the kids just plain tired!  Kids shouldn’t carry more than 10 to 15 percent of their weight over their shoulders and on their backs.  Here are some tips to giver your kid’s back a break this marking period:

• Help your child sort through everything before packing up and see what can be left home that day. Place heaviest items in first; the closer they are to a child’s back, the less strain they’ll put on those muscles.
• Buy an appropriate-size backpack, one that ends just a few inches above the waist. Use a backpack that has soft, padded straps to maximize comfort.
• Look for a pack with compartments that help distribute the weight. Or, try one of the new models with wheels that your child can pull.
• Even though it’s hipper to carry a pack over just one shoulder, encourage your kids to carry theirs over both shoulders. This will better distribute the weight.
• Make sure your kids bend their knees when they first lift their packs, to avoid further strain on their back muscles.
• Encourage increased locker use.

(Study provided by Cindy Bond at FamilyEducation.com)

(http://life.familyeducation.com/school/safety/36238.html)

If you have a picky eater than this month’s topic is just for you! When you get home from a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is wage war over broccoli at the dinner table. That’s why it’s so easy to fall into the trap of making mac-n-cheese or ordering pizza. It keeps you out of an “eat your vegetables” fight. The good news is, getting a picky eater to eat a nutritious meal doesn’t have to be a battle. Here are some tips for dealing with a picky eater:

1. Start by introducing healthier elements into foods that your child already likes. .
2. Include your kids in the prep work.
3. Don’t buy unhealthy foods.
4. Schedule snack time and stick to it. 
5. Have healthy finger foods available.
6. Repeal the “clean your plate” rule.
7. Encourage kids to “eat their colors.”
8. Don’t cut out treats altogether.
9. Veg out at the dinner table, not the TV.
10. Be a good role model.

All information provided by the American Heart Association at http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/HowtoMakeaHealthyHome/Tips-for-Dealing-With-a-Picky-Eater_UCM_303811_Article.jsp 

Food Safety is a must in these hot summer months. Food poisoning can occur from eating foods that contain bad bacteria. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that you don’t spoil your summer!

• Always wash your hands with soap and hot water before eating or preparing food.
• Scrub and rinse plates and utensils after using them.
• Wrap food carefully before packing into a cooler for transportation.
• Keep cold refrigerated perishable food like luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, or ice packs.
• Cook meats (especially poultry) thoroughly and constantly check to make sure its done before serving it.
• If the temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above, food should not be left out over 1 hour or it could risk going bad. Always discard the leftovers if this is the case.

All information provided by: http://life.familyeducation.com/safety/summer/48193.html 

With the warm weather here to stay, don’t miss out on these lifesaving tips for a safe summer by the pool!  Check with your local American Red Cross to see when CPR classes are being offered.

• Always have an adult watching the kids while they’re swimming.
• Have a phone and rescue equipment by your pool at all times.
• Childproof all entrances to the pool area of your house.
• If your child is ever out of your sight, the first place you should check is the pool area.
• Learn CPR in case of an emergency.
• Do not allow kids to run near the pool.
• If your child is new to swimming, make sure they wear a lifejacket or other flotation devices.

(http://pediatrics.about.com/od/safety/a/509_drownng_prv.htm)

(Vincent Iannelli, M.D. About.com)

Studies have shown that poor dental hygiene leads to obesity and other health problems.

• Have your child brush their teeth at least twice a day, once after waking and once before bed.  Establishing a routine helps!
• Have your child smile for you so that you can check to see if they brushed properly. Remember to congratulate them if they did good job.
• Teach your child how to floss regularly.
• Buy toothpastes that have flavors kids enjoy.
• Have a few different toothbrushes for your child to choose from. The variety will make the task more fun for them.
• Teach your child to avoid consuming too much sugar, especially soda products.
• Refrain from letting your child drink a glass of milk or juice before bed, as the acids lying idle are very bad for young teeth.

(http://www.nickjr.com/kids-health/dental-care/tips/basic-tooth-care-for-kids_ap.html)

(Nickelodeon, Nickjr.)

(Exercises provided by Kristen DeLeo, Health News.com)

(http://www.healthnews.com/blogs/kristen-deleo/fitness-exercise/be-your-child-s-personal-trainer-ball-exercises-3301.html)

(http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/afterschool_snacks.html)

• Always make time to get your kids breakfast. Skipping breakfast can have many negative effects. Some of these negative effects are poor metabolisms, irritability, and poor attention spans.
• Choose breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, protein and fiber.
• Stock your kitchen with healthy breakfast items such as eggs, fruit, and wholegrain cereal.
• Prepare as much as you can the night before to make things easier (get bowls, dishes and utensils ready, cut up fruit, etc.).
• Get the kids up 10 minutes earlier so they don’t have to rush through eating.
• Let the kids help plan and prepare breakfast so it becomes something fun and they look forward to doing!
• Have a few grab-and-go alternatives (fresh fruit, mini boxes of cereal, yogurt or smoothies, trail-mix) on days when there is little or no time to eat.
• Avoid serving toaster pastries like pop-tarts, fatty doughnuts and high sugar content breakfast bars!
• Set a good example by eating a healthy breakfast with your kids.
• Check out the 20 worst breakfast options chosen for kids (and their healthier alternatives) http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slide/worst-supermarket-sweet-cereal?slideshow=77333#title.
(http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/breakfast.html)
(Kidshealth.org)