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A Guide to Keeping Preschoolers Healthy: Lessons, Themes, and Activities for the Body and Mind

Preschool Crafts and Activities for Hands-on Learning / By Lisa King / Early Education Information for Teachers, Parents & Caregivers

The Importance of Teaching Children Health

With child obesity rates and juvenile diabetes continually raising it is more important than ever to keep preschoolers healthy with health themes, lessons and activities. Teachers and parents can provide education on the importance of eating healthy, exercising, maintaining proper hygiene, controlling emotions and taking care of the teeth. In addition, educators and caregivers should make kids aware of the dangers of unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drugs and alcohol. Students should learn that they are responsible for making healthy choices and aware of the dangers of inappropriate behaviors.

Teaching children how to stay healthy, happy and beautiful is easy with these fun activities, lessons and games that will put a pretty smile on your student's face. These lessons for preschoolers focus on diet and nutrition, how to take care of our body and teeth, how to eliminate germs which prevent us from becoming ill and more.

Dental Health Lessons and Crafts

Teaching young children proper dental hygiene is crucial to promote lifelong dental health habits. It is normal for some children to be reluctant to brush their teeth. Early educators can take the chore out of brushing and make it fun by providing electric or musical toothbrushes at school and planning exciting lessons, activities and songs that encourage healthy dental hygiene routines.

Bright Hub Education experts have put together some interactive, engaging dental health activities that children will really sink their teeth into. Use a hard-boiled egg to demonstrate how brushing removes stains from our teeth, write a letter to the tooth fairy, sing songs and create beautiful artwork with a toothbrush to keep children's smile white and beautiful with these terrific lessons.

Keep Those Germs Away

Educating children on the importance of proper hygiene to prevent germs and infections from attacking the body will reduce the number of sick children in your classroom this flu season. Teaching students the relationship between germs and illness is vital for kids to understand why bathing and washing their hands are important factors to staying healthy.

"Go away ugly, nasty, germs and don't come back!" is what the preschoolers in your classroom will be saying after reading books about germs and watching bacteria grow on a potato. Teachers can also find cute songs and finger-plays below that reinforce proper hygiene, hand washing techniques and even how to make soap that will keep your classroom clean and germ free.

Healthy Eating Activities, Games and Crafts

Eating a balanced diet and nutritional foods is an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Poor diet can lead to obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Children need to be taught healthy eating habits at an early age so in the future they will continue make good food choices on their own and live a long healthy life.

Playing restaurant, making a healthy food collage and the shrunken watermelon experiment are just a glimpse of activities to help teach your preschoolers the importance of eating right and staying hydrated. In addition kids will love tossing bean bags, running races, making puzzles and creating crafts associated with nutritious, delicious food.

The Body and Mind: Physical and Emotional Health

Understanding the body and how it works is an important part of health education. Preschoolers will learn about their body and how to keep it fit and healthy by getting plenty of exercise while participating in these physical fitness activities and lessons. Emotional health is just as important as physical health. Preschool is the perfect time to teach children about feelings and how to exhibit self-control. Students who are taught to control their emotions are more likely to get along with peers and submit to authority. Listed below are several lessons, songs and activities on feelings and emotions.

Creating a pumpkin feeling book, playing charades, and calming exercises are just a few of the activities listed below that will raise preschoolers self-esteem, help them identify and control emotions and get along with their peers. In addition we have fun games and activities to keep kids moving.

Doctor, Ambulance and First Aid Activities

Unfortunately no matter how we try to protect our children there will come a time when they will fall or injure themselves and need medical attention. Accidents are just a part of growing up. However, educators can prepare children for these times by teaching them what to do if they have an accident and what to do in case of an emergency. Look below for ideas and lessons on first aid, going to the hospital, ambulance songs and how to dial 911.

Many times young children are afraid to go to the doctor or dentist. Alleviate your child's fear of doctors with these fun, interactive poems, games and activities. Reading great books and playing doctor are a few activities kids will love.

Our goal here at Bright Hub Education is to keep preschoolers healthy with health themes, lessons and activities. We hope your preschoolers will enjoy them. For several more creative health ideas check out the link below and leave us a comment, we would love to hear from you.

Preschool Lessons and Activities on Wonderful Me

References

Photos and lessons by Lisa King