The Best Healthy Foods For Kids

The Best Healthy Foods For Kids

Parents faces the challenge of feeding healthy food to their kids almost every single time and day. The temperament of kids varies, and they are more inclined to follow habits of their peers at home and school. The situation is worse for kids of working parents, as their diet mostly consists convenience or take away food. Besides, friends and tv commercials add to the temptations of having junk food.

How does Healthy Food Benefit Your Child?

To get brief information on the different foods groups and their benefits, consider the following healthy food chart for kids:

Nutritious Food Groups Advantages Bread, Cereals and PotatoesThese are starchy food, which includes rice and pasta. They provide energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals.Fruits and VegetablesThese are a good source of antioxidants and provide fibre, vitamins and minerals.Milk and Dairy foodsThese provide:

Calcium – for healthy bones and teeth

Protein – for growth

Vitamins and Minerals.

Meat, Fish and alternativesThese foods, including eggs and pulses, provide iron, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

 

15 Healthy Foods for Kids 

1. Flax seeds

Flax seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the development of the brain. You may get in whole or ground form. Research suggests that the ground form of flax seed is easier for the body to absorb. You may sprinkle the powdered flax seed onto cereals or batter of desserts. You can replace the 1/4th of the flour with this ground flax seed during the preparation of muffins, bread and pancakes to add a healthy boost to the baked goodies.

2. Tofu

Kids generally do not prefer tofu when served whole in certain dishes. But they ought to love it when served with a creamy base of smoothies or ice creams. Tofu is a good source of essential nutrients required in kids for their optimum growth and bone health. It is filled with B vitamins, protein, iron and calcium.

3. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are natural sweeteners and known to be one of the favourite healthy food for toddlers and babies. They tend to be given less preference as the kid starts getting older. You should continue to feed your kids this nutritious vegetable in a way that they are tempted to have it more. You can bake the sweet potato and serve it with toppings of vanilla-yoghurt or cinnamon-sugar. You may even coat it with applesauce or maple syrup.

4. Yoghurt

Yoghurt contains plenty of probiotics, commonly known as good bacteria. Yoghurt helps to keep the little stomachs happy as well as healthy. It is best to choose the low-fat yoghurt, rather than the sugary versions and scoop them up with a spoonful of honey or some fresh fruits. Often, yoghurts provide more calcium as compared to milk.

5. Hummus

Hummus can be a perfectly healthy dip or spread, as it is made from beans. It has proteins, complex carbs and fibre, which helps to keep your little one content and fuelled for the day. You can serve it as a dip with baby carrots or baked pita chips or substitute it for mayonnaise on sandwiches and wraps.

6. Salmon

Salmon is the best source for high-quality protein required for the proper growth of children. Besides, it has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the development of the brain and a healthy heart. A plus point about salmon is that it contains a natural flavour and requires minimal seasoning. So, you can bake or grill it for few minutes, and it is ready to be served.

7. Avocado

Avocado provides a plethora of monounsaturated fats, the ‘good’ fats, which young kids should consume in their everyday diet. Besides, ripe avocado is perfect baby food and can be given to the baby directly, removing the peel. A ripe avocado can be easily mashed with the fork. For young kids who develop food choices, you can make them eat it in the form of a spread on wraps or sandwiches, instead of the traditional mayonnaise or cream cheese. Mix the mashed avocado with a spoonful of lemon juice and salt, and your dip is ready.

8. Mango

Mangoes are generally in the good books of kids, and most of them love having it in all forms. It is a rich source of vitamin C and fibre and highly beneficial for the kids as it strengthens their immunity and helps to keep their gums and teeth healthy. To add to the list of fun and nutritional delicacies for your kids, you can also serve mango in the form of smoothie or pudding.

9. Eggs

Eggs are a rich source of protein and DHA, which helps the development of a child’s brain.

10. Berries

Berries contain high amounts of vitamins and antioxidants, which are beneficial to the child for his overall health.

11. Legumes

Legumes are one of the best sources of protein and are full of fibre, and they aid in digestion. These include beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas.

12. Whole Grains

Whole grains are a plethora of nutrients that include fibre, protein, B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These are beneficial in reducing the risks of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes. Besides, it helps in improving overall digestion and lowers the cholesterol.

13. Milk

Milk benefits your child with a rich dose of calcium required for his strong bones and teeth. Besides, Vitamin D contained in milk helps to absorb the calcium.

14. Ragi

Ragi is a filled with of calcium and beneficial for growing children. You can easily substitute it for chocolate cookies as it turns brown on being roasted, thus bringing a smile on the kid’s face.

Kids Enjoy When Eating Healthy Foods

15. Oats

Oats are rich in fibre and antioxidants and benefits your kid with a steady stream of energy for the day. Moreover, it is easy to digest and enhances the immune system of the child.

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by john etim May 26, 2022

How To Take Good Care Of Your Children

Spend Quality Time With Your Children

Spending a lot of time with your children gives you the chance to meet their needs and discover who they are. While everyone is busy these days, you can spend quality time with your kids doing everyday activities. Here are some ways you can make more time for your kids:

Include your child in projects around the house

Cook with your kids

Walk with your children instead of driving

Read with your children

play with your kids

Give your kids a better smile

Let your children help with chores

Take up a hobby with your child

Health Care

All children need a good high-quality health and dental care. Children can increased risk of developing preventable diseases and conditions without access to good-quality health care. Good health care affects children's physical and emotional health, growth, and development, and their ability to reach their full potential as adults. Good dental care is just as important because oral diseases can cause serious general health problems.

Kids Playing

Play is essential to a child's emotional, social, physical, and intellectual development. Through play, children can create worlds that they can control and conquer. They can try on adult roles and learn to collaborate. Play lets children develop skills and resiliency. By playing with other children around, they learn to work in groups, which helps them learn to share, negotiate, resolve conflicts, and advocate for themselves.

Teach Your Children Fire Safety

Talk to your children about what to do if there is a fire. They need to know how to safely put out a fire, but they also need to know how to get away from a fire. You can talk about the stop, drop, and roll technique if they are on fire. Take it a step further and help them understand how to get out of your home using all of the windows and doors in case a fire traps them in a single room.

Learn Your Children How To Cook

It seem so much easier to let your children play while you cook. It's faster, and better organized without the help they want to offer. But cooking is an important life skill. No matter how old your children are, they can help you doing some things in the kitchen.

Toddlers and younger children can help wash fruits and vegetables, stir ingredients in bowls, and sprinkle seasoning onto food before you cook it. Older children can help measure ingredients, slice vegetables, and follow recipe instructions.

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by john etim May 26, 2022

Creativity for Kids Benefits

Creativity for Kids: Benefits & Tips for Nurturing an Innovative Mind

Creativity impacts many aspects of a child’s learning journey. From developing problem-solving and motor skills to encouraging curiosity and imagination, creativity is a key ingredient of child development.

How Creativity Impacts Child Development

Creativity pays positive dividends in numerous ways. It supports mental growth through challenges involving elements like equality, balance, spatial relationships, and problem-solving. It also supports the development of key skills such as sensory perception, verbal skills, and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, it supports divergent thinking via activities involving reflection, wonder, and curiosity. Creativity also provides children with opportunities for experimentation, imagination, and freedom of expression. Finally, creativity shapes social skills through activities that involve different perspectives and values and understanding the needs of others.

Specific Ways Creativity Sparks Growth in Children

Creative activities aren’t just fun. They can help kids grow in their fundamental skill set. For example, using a paintbrush helps them improve fine motor skills. Experimenting with new and different materials can provide kids with an introduction to science, while counting pieces can help kids learn math basics. Ultimately, children that feel good about creating boosts their self-confidence.

Benefits of Creativity

Many studies have demonstrated creativity’s positive impact – from childhood to adulthood – on skills and emotional intelligence. Art and creative expression can help children recover from trauma.

Studies Showing the Value of Creativity

Various studies focusing on creativity have yielded numerous examples of rich benefits. For instance, studies show that creative activities like drawing reduces stress levels. Creativity has also been shown to correlate positively to emotional intelligence among adults. For kids, creativity and pretend play provide them with an opportunity to practice original thinking, particularly when they’re allowed to engage in self-directed exploration. Additionally, studies indicate that creativity is a cause and an effect of happiness. Finally, creativity has been shown to be a sign that an individual is open to exploring their personal identity.

Overcoming Trauma with Creativity

According to an Education Week article, a psychiatrist found: “Areas of the brain can be reshaped and reorganized through activities that include touch and movement – the foundation of creative expression. Just as trauma is experienced – through nonverbal sensation – it can be released.”  Creativity helps traumatized children build connections between the past, present, and future. It can also help them access memories they may struggle to verbally express or visually identify.

There are some organizations designed to help connect traumatized children to the creative process. The nonprofit organization Art with a Heart is, according to CEO Heidi Durham, on a mission to “help children overcome trauma through creative expression.” The organization’s trained counselors use art therapy, narrative, cognitive behavioral therapy, and principles of social-emotional learning to carry out this mission. The activities are designed to help children with self-awareness, empathy, and cooperative behavior. Ultimately, the completed art projects provide a visual record of healing that encourages children to recognize their progress and keep growing.

Tips and Activities for Sparking Creativity in Children

Parents, educators, and counselors can all take steps to encourage children’s creativity. Some of these steps include encouraging kids to experiment, embracing a child’s art without making suggestions for changes, emphasizing the process of creativity, and giving the children the independence and control they need to create. Also, the classic practice of displaying a child’s artwork and stories is a crucial part to keeping creativity going.

7 Ideas for Engaging Art Activities

One of the more organic art activities you can do with kids is to make natural arrangements out of outdoor objects like pinecones, sticks, and leaves. You can also create sun catchers out of natural materials like flowers or leaves to hang near a window. On the other end of the spectrum, you can add food coloring to shaving cream sprayed on a cookie sheet and blend colors into designs. You can also dip everyday objects like sponges or bottle caps into washable paint to make unique prints. Another activity you can do is to take turns building on a shared drawing for an interactive back-and-forth drawing game. You can also take slightly wet packing peanuts and use them to build towers and other wild shapes. Finally, you can create flowers using coffee filters and watercolors.

Conclusion

Studies have demonstrated the power of drawing or multimedia art project to develop the many skills and competencies that are critical for children to grow and thrive. Both the classroom and home environments are playgrounds for imagination and creativity. As teachers and counselors introduce projects and curricula that shape and develop creativity in children, parents can also support their children’s discoveries and celebrate their creative endeavors. Encouraging creativity in all forms and nourishing innovative, young minds can have a direct impact n multiple aspects of a child’s psychological development.

by john etim May 02, 2022

How To Make A Cardboard House

Cardboard crafts for kids are an awesome way to kickstart your child’s creativity. Here’s a step-by-step guide to make a cardboard house.

Materials required:

1.Cardboard (12” x 12” piece)

2. Ruler

3. Pencil

4. Paper cutters (or x-acto knife or scissors)

5. Tape

Instructions:

Draw the outline of your house on your cardboard piece.

Carefully cut along the lines (adult supervision required)

Fold the cardboard accordingly to make your house.

Secure the edges with tape.

Decorate the house in whichever way you like!

This is one of the most fun crafts for kids to do at home. Beyond honing your child’s creativity and imagination, it’s also a great way to fine-tune their gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. 

What’s more, your child could also engage in pretend play with this little activity! For example, they could position tiny dolls in front of the door and pretend they’re ringing the bell. If you’ve got a tiny kitchen set at home, you could help your child “cook” a meal within their little cardboard house too.

by john etim May 02, 2022