Every Kid Healthy Week
Promoting health and wellness with kids is important in instilling lifelong habits. Every year, Action for Healthy Kids encourages these habits with Every Kid Healthy™ Week. While this program usually takes place in school, parents are encouraged to follow the activities with their children at home due to the recent coronavirus pandemic. The goal of the program is to take “1 million actions for healthy, happy kids by 2025.”
The 2020 Every Kid Healthy™ Schedule
Through April 20 – 24, there is a theme for each day to help promote different aspects of wellness.
- April 20: Mindfulness Monday You can help encourage mindfulness at home in several ways. Teach your child how to set positive intentions in life, encouraging their interests. There are many simple mindfulness techniques that kids can learn and use in daily life to stay more connected and grounded. Another great thing to try is some yoga before bedtime, which can often help them sleep better!
- April 21: Tasty Tuesday Eating a nutritious diet is the foundation to great overall health. Action for Healthy Kids offers a great Healthy Eating Toolkit you can use at home to encourage your child to eat well. When you go grocery shopping, be sure to bring your child and let them pick some new fruits and vegetables for the whole family to try – you may just find a new favorite! Try cooking a new, family-friendly recipe together, and be sure to enjoy it at the dinner table (not in front of the TV).
- April 22: Earth Day Wellness Wednesday It’s important to learn that health can mean taking care of something bigger than yourself. Celebrate Earth Day by reducing electronics usage and screen time. Together, think of ways your home can be more sustainable and implement them as a family. Take some time to learn about green living, reducing your carbon footprint, recycling, and more Earth-friendly topics.
- April 23: Thoughtful Thursday Today, focus on your child’s social emotional health. As a parent, this can be encouraged by writing thoughtful love notes to your child and making the time to play and interact with him or her. Children can also explore their own emotions and feelings through various sensory play activities.
- April 24: Fitness Friday It’s a great day to get up and be active! You can participate by doing almost any fun physical activity you can think of, like taking a bike ride, playing soccer in the backyard, create a fun and exciting obstacle course, and more. Keep the activity going beyond just the day by setting up a little friendly competition in the family – who completes their physical activity each day? Who tries new types of fitness? Get creative!
Staying Healthy Takes More than a Week
As you participate in the activities you create at home, share with friends and loved ones on social media with #EveryKidHealthyWeek and #TakeAction4HealthyKids. Your ideas may inspire others to do the same with their kids, creating a movement of healthy families. While this week of activity is fun, you should also continue to encourage healthy habits for the entire family into the future.
Being healthy also means regular visits to the doctor for wellness exams, vaccinations, and more. Making an appointment at the doctor’s office can mean long waits or scheduling conflicts. Instead, visit an area Midwest Express Clinic location – we offer convenient, daily walk-in hours with caring medical professionals. Together, we will help keep you and your family healthy!
