Preschooler nutrition and fitness: in a nutshell

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A healthy breakfast wakes up your preschooler's body by starting his metabolism. Breakfast provides the energy your child needs for the day. Research has found that children who skip breakfast tend to weigh more. This may be because these hungry children eat more during the day.

Mornings can be a mad rush for many families. Thankfully, breakfast can be quick and easy to prepare, like yoghurt and fruit, cereal and milk, or toast.

• Healthy food ideas for preschoolers
• Water: the best drink
• Preschooler exercise 

Healthy food ideas for preschoolers

• Nutrition Basics contains guidelines and tools to help you ensure your child eats good food.
• For good food made easy, try these meals in minutes.
• Pack a goodness punch by including lots of your child's nutritional needs in one dish. Try Everything fried rice, an omelette with the lot, shepherd's pie, baked beans on wholegrain toast or pasta bolognaise with a meat and vegie sauce.

Water: the best drink

The following tips may get your preschooler drinking more water:

• Offer water with all meals and snacks.
• Keep chilled water in the fridge for hot days. Add slices of lemon or orange, or a sprig of mint, for interest.
• In summer, freeze chopped fruit in ice blocks and pop into a cup of water.
• Carry filled water bottles when you go out.

Fussy eaters
Erratic appetites (starving one day, not hungry the next) are common in preschoolers. Your child's body goes through growth spurts and it can tell how much food is needed each day. Forcing children to eat when they are not hungry overrides this natural ability. This may lead to overeating in later life if they can’t tell how much food they need.

Division of responsibility
As long as you offer her healthy food, let her appetite be the guide. Most children get plenty to eat even if it seems like they are barely eating at all.

Preschooler exercise

Exercise gives your preschooler strong bones and muscles, a healthy heart, lungs and arteries, and improved coordination, balance, posture and flexibility. It reduces their risk of getting overweight. It helps ward off heart disease, cancer and diabetes later in life.

When a child spends lots of time in front of the TV and computer, they miss out on the physical activity and play that keeps them healthy. Being overweight is unhealthy and uncomfortable – and very unpleasant for a young child.

Preschoolers don't need much encouragement to run around in the fresh air. If you play with them, they'll love it even more. Preschoolers (and you) will enjoy:

• playing at the park
• flying a kite
• dancing
• silly walks (pretend to walk like an elephant)
• chasing bubbles
• swimming
• bushwalking.

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  Newsletter snippet: Preschooler nutrition and fitness: in a nutshell
  

   

  By Raising Children Network

  Your child’s best role model for developing good health, physical skills and self-esteem is you. It’s important that you eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise.
  
  Tips for health

  • A healthy breakfast provides the energy your preschooler needs for the day.
  • Serve meals that include all your child’s nutritional needs in one dish.
  • Offer water with all meals and snacks.
  • Your child will be hungrier when having a growth spurt so be guided by his appetite.
  • Physical exercise has many benefits: strong bones and muscles; healthy heart, lungs and arteries; improved coordination, balance and flexibility; reduced risk of becoming overweight; prevention of heart disease, cancer and diabetes in later life.
  • Encourage outdoor play by joining in the fun at the local park, beach or national park.

  This article is an extract only. For more information, visit raisingchildren.net.au/nutrition__fitness/preschoolers_nutrition.html.

  Sourced from the Raising Children Network's comprehensive and quality-assured Australian parenting website www.raisingchildren.net.au.