Keeping your young kiddos healthy and helping them avoid getting sick can be challenging, especially over the winter, when we spend more time indoors. Here are some proactive tips you can model and use with your children as we head into the busy holiday season and colder months.
1. Wash Hands Frequently is key to Keeping Kids Healthy
Hand washing is a regular part of your child’s day at Early Childhood Academy. We reinforce good hand washing habits at the academy by having children wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and after playing outside.
At home, you can use songs or a timer to make handwashing time fun and make sure they wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. The choruses to “Let It Go,” “Baby Shark,” and “Happy Birthday” all last about 20 seconds.
2. Fill Plates with Colorful Foods
A balanced diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins gives your child the vitamins and minerals their body needs to build a strong immune system and fight off bugs. If getting your kids to eat fruits and veggies is difficult, try including them in the preparation of their food, experiment with the size of the food you offer (ex: offer a whole green bean instead of cut up pieces), or offer fruits and veggies in a smoothie.
3. Prioritize Sleep
Good sleep contributes to a strong immune system. The CDC recommends infants get 12 to 16 hours of sleep every 24 hours (including naps), while toddlers should get 11 to 14 hours. Preschool-aged children should get 10 to 13 hours of sleep every 24 hours.
Getting enough sleep helps your child get sick less often, reduces stress, and improves their mood. A consistent bedtime routine can help your child fall asleep and stay asleep, ensuring they get the recommended hours of rest.
4. Visit the Pediatrician
Your pediatrician will recommend an appropriate vaccination schedule for your child, including flu shots and COVID shots. Staying up to date on vaccinations not only protects your child against severe illness, it also helps protect those around them.
5. Stay Home When You’re Sick
If your child or a family member is sick, consider keeping them home and avoiding contact with others. This helps prevent the spread of illness. At Early Childhood Academy, we ask families to notify the program within 24 hours, exclusive of weekends and holidays, when a child is diagnosed by a child’s source of medical or dental care as having a contagious disease.
6. Teach Safe Coughing and Sneezing Etiquette
At ECA, we teach your kiddos to cough and sneeze into their elbows. This helps prevent the spread of germs and keeps germs off of your kids’ hands when they do cough or sneeze. We also encourage kids to wash their hands after coughing and sneezing.
7. Keep Them Hydrated
Winter is cold and dry, which means you and your children need to drink more water to stay hydrated. Proper hydration flushes out toxins and supports immune health. Just be sure to avoid sugary drinks, which do the opposite!
8. Get Them Moving
Moving regularly can boost immune system health, too. Minnesotans know all too well that there’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor preparation. At the academy, we will continue to go outside daily until the temperatures drop below -0 Fahrenheit. Be sure to send your child to school with a coat, hat, snowpants, boots, and gloves. When it is bitter cold or snowing outside, you can increase indoor activity at home with an obstacle course, dance party, or visiting an indoor playground.
9. Use Antibiotics Wisely
Antibiotics are important drugs that can be literal lifesavers that protect against bacterial infections. However, they do nothing for viral infections. If you suspect your child requires antibiotics, speak with your pediatrician and follow their instructions carefully.
10. Disinfect Toys and Surfaces Regularly
Regularly sanitize and wipe down doorknobs, countertops, play structures, and other toys to stop the spread of germs, especially if your household is recovering from illness. At the academy, we follow a strict cleaning protocol that includes a 3-step Step Surface Cleaning Process.
Your child’s health is our priority, especially during the winter months when cold and flu are prevalent. To learn more about how we keep your kiddos healthy at school or to schedule a tour of one of our locations, please get in touch with us.
