How to Teach Young Children About Making Healthy Choices
Helping young children understand what it means to make healthy choices sets them up for a lifetime of well-being. From eating nutritious foods to getting enough rest and moving their bodies, small daily habits build strong foundations. By teaching these concepts in fun and positive ways, you empower children to care for their own health from an early age.
Why This Lesson Matters
- Supports physical development and growth
- Encourages independence and responsibility
- Builds early habits around food, hygiene, and rest
- Promotes confidence in decision-making
- Improves mood, energy, and focus
Option 1: Teach Healthy Habits Through Choices and Routines
Activity Idea:
Create a “Healthy Habits Chart” with fun visuals like brushing teeth, washing hands, eating fruits, and drinking water.
Give your child choices within healthy options:
- “Would you like apple slices or banana with your snack?”
- “Do you want to brush teeth before or after pajamas?”
What Kids Learn:
- That being healthy can be fun and empowering
- Daily routines help their body and brain
- Making good choices feels rewarding
Tool Suggestion:
Use stickers or magnets so your child can check off each healthy habit during the day.
Option 2: Use Play and Stories to Explore Health Topics
Activity Idea:
Set up a pretend doctor’s office or grocery store.
Let your child “shop” for fruits, veggies, and healthy snacks or care for a stuffed animal with pretend bandages, water, and rest.
Talk about what makes bodies strong and happy.
What Kids Learn:
- The role of food, rest, and hygiene
- How to care for themselves and others
- That health is part of everyday life
Book Suggestion:
Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick — a kid-friendly way to learn about hygiene and staying well.
Other Ways to Reinforce Healthy Choices
- Celebrate healthy decisions: “You chose water instead of juice—great job keeping your body strong!”
- Cook together: Let them help prepare meals with colorful fruits and veggies
- Talk about body signals: “Are you hungry or full?” “Is your body telling you it’s time to rest?”
- Include movement: Dance breaks, stretching, and play promote physical wellness
- Model self-care: Show how you make healthy choices too
Final Thoughts
Teaching young children to make healthy choices doesn’t have to be complicated. Through routines, play, and praise, you can help them build habits that make them feel good inside and out. And when kids learn to care for their body and mind early on, they carry those lessons with them for life.