Keep Your Kids Happy and Healthy: Summer Tips for Parents

Summer is the best time to provide your child with snacks that promote energy and good healthy eating practices and to make sure they get the exercise and rest they need. Here are a few tips for your child’s summer health.

• Make sure your child is getting daily exercise. Encourage your child to stay active.  Have them walk, run, swim, play sports, jump rope, ride bikes, or go skating daily.  Check out LetsMove.gov for more information.
  

  Photo courtesy of LetsMove.gov

• Make sure your child eats healthy.  Give your child healthy snacks. Prepare snack bags of vegetables such as carrots, celery, or cucumbers and/or fruit such as apples, pears, or berries.

• Make sure your child is drinking lots of water.  Water is excellent to keep your child hydrated.

• Make sure your child goes to bed on time every night.  Schedule a bedtime and keep to it.  This will ensure your child is getting adequate amounts of sleep. Sufficient amounts of sleep promote healthy physical and mental development.

We hope these tips help you keep your child happy and healthy this summer!
For more information for parents from the Department of Education, visit our Parent and Family Engagement page.
Diondra Hicks is a student at Georgetown University and an intern in ED’s Office of Communications and Outreach. 

Read more : http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/07/keep-your-kids-happy-and-healthy-summer-tips-for-parents/