As kids grow up, they pick up habits they carry into adulthood. We’ve gathered a list of healthy habits you can teach your children now to ensure they’re happy and healthy as they grow older. One of the habits we’ll be getting into is regular physical activity, which you can teach them here at Rebounderz Trampoline Park in Rohnert Park. With our safe trampolines, exciting Ninja Warrior obstacle course, and SlamBall basketball court, we’ve got so many different fun ways to get kids up and moving.

-Get colorful with food

A healthy plate of food is often very colorful. With a variety of green, yellow, orange, and red, you’re getting a good spread of fruits and vegetables into your child’s diet. It’s well known how much children enjoy colors, so embrace it with your dinner plans. Not only can you use this opportunity to teach them about healthy foods, you can also engage them as they make the connection between the colors and vegetables, making the whole meal a valuable learning experience. While you don’t have to make every meal a color explosion, utilizing a wide range of color options will engage your child more while also teaching them the benefits of healthy eating. Who knows? This might lead them to their new favorite food!

-Breakfast is important

It’s long been said the most important meal of the day is breakfast, and it’s true. When you teach children how to have a routine eating schedule, you’re also helping them get enough energy to be productive all through the day. Starting off the day with a healthy breakfast has been shown to have incredible benefits, with Harvard Medical School reporting that children who skip breakfast regularly are four times more likely to develop obesity. With a meal high in fiber, you’re able to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. However, it is vital to point out the high sugar content in many kinds of cereal and other breakfast staples, like pancakes. When you start the day off with a sugar rush, you’re far more likely to crash at lunchtime. Steer clear of foods with added sugars, opting instead for the natural sugars found in fruits.

-Find physical activities they enjoy

While some kids are naturally athletic and love sports, others may dread gym class. However, just because they don’t like sports doesn’t mean they don’t like physical activity. Let them try a variety of activities to see what connects with them. Whether it’s going on a family hike, giving archery a shot, or jumping around on a trampoline, any way they get active is a positive. Kids will be more likely to want to be active if they see their parents participating as well, so get involved with them. This could be when they find a hobby they latch onto long into adulthood, so fostering an interest in a physical activity is of great benefit to them.

-Cut down on couch time

This might be a tough sell to some kids, but spending time away from the glow of a television is a hugely healthy habit to pass along. So much of our lives, in this day and age, are connected to a screen, and disconnecting from it is very important. Mayo Clinic found that when a kid watches more than an hour or two of television a day, it increases their risk of serious health and social problems, including but not limited to:

• Poor academic performance
• Behavioral issues
• Emotional and social disconnection
• Attention disorders
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Less time to be active, leading to declining fitness

-Embrace reading outside of school

Not only does recreational reading help with reading comprehension in school, it also fosters a desire for knowledge outside of regimented classwork. When a child develops strong reading skills at an early age, it benefits them greatly as they get older. It will help them in their future career, as well as make them more well-rounded individuals. Find books related to things they’re interested in, especially if it isn’t a focus in school early on. Get a good mix of fiction and non-fiction so they learn about storytelling along with the world around them. The right book can teach empathy, friendship, and other valuable skills that will help them as they grow. Studies show that reading can help build a child’s self-esteem and relationship with their family. You can make reading a part of your child’s daily routine, whether it’s during playtime or bedtime.

-Skip the soda

One of the most healthy choices you can teach your children is avoiding soda in favor of water. Soft drinks are loaded with sugar and chemicals that lead to long-term health issues if consumption is not kept under control. There are no nutrients to be found in soda, which makes the calories they provide empty, and can lead to obesity and diabetes. Water, on the other hand, is incredibly important for a healthy life. When you are dehydrated, you are more susceptible to illness, as your immune system is weakened and unable to properly fight off infections and germs. Teaching your child the importance of drinking enough water early in life will start a habit that will continue to benefit them on a daily basis.

-Pay attention to food labels

As we’ve discussed previously, teaching kids about their nutrition is incredibly important to their long-term health. Teach them what is good for them, help them avoid what is bad for them, and build an understanding of a healthy diet. The main things that should be focused on are:

• Calories
• Saturated fats and trans fats
• Sugar content

When they understand how to read a nutrition label, they will be more aware of what they consume. This builds an ownership over their body, along with a responsibility for their own well-being. When a child is able to have ownership over their actions, they learn consequences. This is a safe way to teach them about those consequences, as well as how to make changes in their life to be happier. Healthy living starts early!

When you teach your children healthy habits early on, you are arming them with the tools for success that will stick with them long into adulthood. Fostering a desire to learn, teaching them about healthy eating, and helping them stay active leads to health and happiness for years to come. For a fun way to get the whole family active, come to Rebounderz Trampoline Park in Rohnert Park. We have the safest trampoline park and a ton of fun attractions that the everyone will enjoy, no matter how old they are. We hope to see you jumping here soon!