The American Heart Association has named February: Heart Health Month. This makes February a great time to commit to a healthier lifestyle for you and your children. According to the Heart Foundation, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, however, it is preventable.
It’s endlessly important to start healthy habits as early as possible with your children. Here are some fun ways you can teach your children about their hearts, and help them engage in a healthy lifestyle.
Say Ommm!
Practicing yoga with your children is a great way to encourage relaxation, flexibility, and exercise. Yoga is meant to bring together your mind and body, making it a great way to prevent heart disease. ABC Yoga for Kids, recommends 3 poses in particular for heart health: Cobra pose, Balancing Stick pose, and Ragdoll pose.
Get moving!
Makeandtakes.com created a way to keep kids active, get them crafting, and keep their hearts healthy. With their ‘Exercise Ban Bag Toss’, kids will throw a heart-shaped bean bag onto a board to see which type of exercise they should do.
To make the board you need: poster board, red felt, scissors, dry beans and a hot glue gun.
Draw it out!
In order for your kids to know about their heart, it helps for them to see it visually and understand how it works. With Eagered.com, you can find printouts of anatomically correct hearts in color-by-number fashion. Kids will learn how their heart works in this fun drawing activity.
Start Cooking!
Eating a heart healthy diet includes: whole grains, fruits, plenty of veggies, and protein. In order to keep your kids happy and eating healthy, try some Healthy Kids Recipes from EatingWell. Here you will find recipes you and the kids can make together, and both enjoy!
