Students at Isanti Intermediate School For All Seasons located in Isanti, Minnesota got a taste of health in more classrooms than just “health”. Each year, the school holds STEAM week. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. For three days during the week, students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade are mixed together and rotate through classrooms that each feature guest speakers from the community.
Several staff from the Wellness department at Cambridge Medical Center, part of Allina Health, along with nursing students from Anoka Ramsey Community College – Cambridge Campus, were involved with STEAM week. During the three days of STEAM week, 120 elementary students participated in the activities offered.
Each day, students rotated through four different stations including two healthy snack stations where they learned about healthy snack options, portion sizes and then got to make a variety of fresh, healthy snack recipes including “Sweet Red Pepper Kabobs”, “Stoplight Snack” and “Veggie Bagel Face” from Lana’s Favorite Recipes book.
The other stations included two lessons from Health Powered Kids taught by the nursing students which included “Move It! The Importance of Daily Exercise” and “Love Your Lunch.” During these lessons, students “actively” participated by doing exercises that got their blood pumping and body warm to show what they can do to keep their bodies active and strong. The “Love Your Lunch” lesson allowed students to draw pictures of healthy lunch food options on the printable lunch tray template provided within the lesson.
“Student feedback was very positive, in fact, the kids were so excited about the class by day three we had some students say that they had been waiting all week to come to our class”, says Karla Patrick, Wellness Coordinator at Cambridge Medical Center.
Teachers at the school were also introduced to Health Powered Kids and informed on how to access the lessons, Power Chargers and other activities available for free on the website, healthpoweredkids.org.
Overall, the students loved the healthy snacks and activities that staff from Cambridge Medical Center and the students from Anoka-Ramsey Community College had to offer. They heard very positive feedback from both staff and students and are hoping they’ll get to do it again next year.
Does any of this sound familiar? “I’m too short”, “If only I had curly hair”, “I wish my nose was smaller”. It is common to struggle with body image, no matter who you are. But there are things you can do to help your kids, even at a young age, feel confident and good about themselves.
It is important kids understand how self-esteem and body image are connected. Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. These feelings can change as things in your life change, such as going to a new school or becoming a brother or sister. Self-esteem can be positive (you love, respect, and trust yourself) or negative (feeling insecure and helpless).
Body image is part of self-esteem. It is how you feel about how you look. Body image also includes how you think others see you. Having a positive body image means that you:
- feel comfortable in your body and with the way you look
- feel good about the things your body can do
- feel empowered to take good care of your physical health.
Some things we can change through effort by studying, practicing and learning. Some things are out of our power to change such as height, race and who our parents are. Then there are some things that may change over time such as our natural hair color, our joints and muscles and our experiences.
Self-esteem can’t be taught, but it can be strengthened. This lesson could spark difficult feelings for young people who are highly insecure, depressed or otherwise struggling. Encourage them to talk to a trusted friend or adult if they find themselves feeling down about themselves on a regular basis or over a long period of time.
Check out our “Self-esteem and Body Image” lesson to help your children reflect on the messages they get and give about personal worth and value. Additional resources can be found at changetochill.org. Change to Chill provides free, easy-to-use information to help teens manage their stress in a healthy way.
If two minute wall sits sound like fun to you, you’re not alone. Kids who attend Love to Grow On Child Development Center in Circle Pines, Minnesota, like them too, says Helen Meissner, teacher at the center. “Wall sits are their favorite power chargers. They just love them.”
Power chargers are two to five minute exercises meant to be used as activity breaks at school or at home, and are one of the components of the Health Powered Kids™ program by Allina Health.
Created by nurses, dieticians, social workers and an exercise physiologist at Allina Health, healthpoweredkids.org is a free community education program designed to empower children ages 3-14 to make healthier choices around being active, eating well, keeping clean and stressing less.
Not only are the kids at Love to Grow On Child Development Center staying active with wall sits, they’re also learning how to make healthy snacks. According to Helen, the center grows their own fruits and vegetables in the summer in an effort to set an example and show the kids how to eat healthier. “We use the different food lessons to relate healthy eating to healthy bodies and healthy living. It’s an easy way for the kids to make the connection,” she says.
Parents have been introduced to Health Powered Kids as well through the center’s newsletter. Health related articles, tips and healthy recipes are shared and identified as a quality resource for parents.
“The Health Powered Kids program fits well with our philosophy,” says Executive Director, Linda Bartos King. “We’re incorporating the lessons into our curriculum and helping our kids build lifelong habits for healthier lives.”
Since launching the program in 2013, more than 2,000 individuals and organizations have registered and are using Health Powered Kids. Our 2014 user survey indicated that 88 percent of respondents found Health Powered Kids “essential,” “very helpful” or “helpful” in improving health at their home, school or organization.
Different things cause stress for different people. To adults, childhood can seem like a carefree time. But kids still experience stress. Things like school and their social life can sometimes create pressures that can feel overwhelming for kids. As a parent, you can’t protect your kids from stress — but you can help them develop healthy ways to cope with stress and solve everyday problems.
Some kids might think that an upcoming math test is a big deal, while others won’t give it a second thought. Being aware of what causes us stress is one step in learning how to handle it well.
Watch for trouble sleeping, changes in mood or an upset stomach. Kids deal with stress in both healthy and unhealthy ways. And while they may not initiate a conversation about what’s bothering them, they do want their parents to reach out and help them cope with their troubles.
Check out our “Stress: No body needs it” and “Stress Busters” lessons to help your child identify and cope with stress.
If you’re looking for ways to help your teen, visit our newest program, Change to Chill at changetochill.org. This program provides free, easy-to-use information to help teens manage their stress in a healthy way.
Did you know it takes about 10 minutes once we have started eating for our bodies to notice the change? It’s important to eat slowly enough to give ourselves time to adjust. Our bodies send signals that we have had enough, like our belly actually feeling a bit more filled up. If we eat too much too fast we can’t notice those cues.
‘Tis the season to enjoy parties, family gatherings and lots of food, but with a little help, you can help your kids from eating too much during the holidays. Here’s a simple way to gauge before, during and after eating what state we’re in. Ask yourself, or your kids, how do I feel:
- Pretty hungry, my stomach feels empty
- Just right! Not too hungry or too full; satisfied
- Too full, I ate too much
Remember, being hungry is different from a craving and we can teach ourselves to better listen to our body to know the difference. This is an important habit that can make a difference in your child’s future health. Check out our “How Hungry Am I?” and “What’s My Portion Size?” lessons for more information. Establishing good, life-long, health habits starts now!
Town Square Television recently featured Manager of Community Health Improvement, Susan Nygaard RN, PHN, on a Positive Parenting segment. She shares tips and ideas for parents and families to keep kids healthy. Watch the full segment here.
Everybody needs sleep. Adults generally require about seven to nine hours of sleep, newborns need more than 16 hours per day. Children fall somewhere in between, with teens needing nine to 10 hours per day and preschoolers 11 to 12 (this amount can include naps).
Sleep plays an important role in healthy growth and development. Our body needs the deep rest it gets during sleep. It helps prevent injury and illness and helps our brain develop well.
Sleep also helps us remember what we’ve learned, it helps us pay attention and concentrate, solve problems and think of new ideas. Studies show that people can focus better when they’ve had enough sleep, that’s especially important for kids during school. Having enough sleep simply makes us feel better during the day.
Here are some things that can help anyone get into a good sleep routine:
- Go to sleep at about the same time every night.
- Do the same relaxing activities every night, like brushing teeth and reading a story. These activities will help you calm down.
- Avoid drinks that have caffeine in them, such as coffee or cola.
- Get some exercise every day (but not too close to bedtime).
- Take a nice warm bath or shower before bed.
Setting the stage for good sleep now is an important habit that can make a difference in your child’s future health. Check out our “Super Sleep” lesson for more information. Establishing good, life-long, health habits starts now!
Kids with food allergies often have anxiety about food. They may feel left out at meals or parties, or get teased or bullied because they are different, yet it’s actually fairly common to have a food allergy. In fact, one in 13 kids under the age of six has a food allergy, which equals about two kids in every classroom.
As Halloween approaches, it’s a good time to review food allergy information. While any food can cause an allergic reaction, the most common reactions come from peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may range from minor such as itching and hives, to anaphylaxis, a whole-body reaction that can include stomach pain or cramping, trouble breathing, confusion, cough, diarrhea, trouble swallowing, fainting, nausea, vomiting and more.
If a person is having a food allergy reaction, they need help right away. Depending on the symptoms they may need an antihistamine or epinephrine.
As you prepare to celebrate holidays and special events, here are a few considerations:
- Hold the chocolate. Add some chocolate-free, peanut-free treats to your bowl. Nearly all chocolate treats on the market are made on equipment shared with peanuts and tree nuts (and are unsafe for those with milk allergy). Take a look at the chocolate-free options – such as Dum Dums® suckers, DOTS® and Smarties®. (Remember to always read labels and check with parents before giving any food to children with food allergies.)
- Mix it up! Change the focus to non-food treats, such as holiday-themed pencils, notepads, stickers, goofy erasers or fun rings.
- Wash your hands! If students with food allergies come in contact with food from sticky fingerprints, it can make them sick, too. Washing hands after you eat is a great way to prevent unsafe foods from getting on shared tables, desks, school supplies, and toys or games.
Help the kids in your life be aware of their own – or a friend’s – food allergies and check out our “Food Allergy Awareness” lesson. Establishing good, life-long, eating habits starts now!
For a quick and healthy after-school snack, try zucchini pizza rounds! Substitute ¼ to ½” thick slices of zucchini for bagels to get an extra boost of vitamin C and less calories.
Looking for additional healthy recipes to share? Check out our Healthful Recipes board on Pinterest!
Embrace this last stretch of the summer grilling season and try grilling your veggies. Grilled corn and peppers are a tasty addition to your veggie quesadilla. See full recipe.
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