5 Tips To Keep Kids Healthy This Summer
This post was sponsored by Align as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Once school lets out for the summer, it can be a free for all! Kids want to finally relax and let their hair down, but what does that mean for their health? For most, it means junk food, late nights and lots of down time. This can wreak havoc on your kids overall health.
We’ve got 5 tips for keeping your kids healthy this summer that we think you’re going to love! Don’t worry, your kids won’t mind getting on board with this either!
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
This may seem like a no-brainer but if kids don’t get enough sleep it can affect their cognitive abilities, their mood, and their overall health. Kids under 5 need 10-14 hours of sleep per day, while school-aged children between 6 and 13 ideally need 8-12 hours of sleep. Teens between the ages of 14 and 18 can get away with as little as 7 hours of sleep per day, but should be getting 8-11 hours per day. We bought Garmin Vivofit Jr watches for our 6 and 9 year old so we could keep track of their activity and their sleep quality. The watch keeps track of how long they sleep and lets us know the quality of it as well. It’s been great for helping us keep track of their sleep habits.
2. 60 Minutes of Exercise
It’s imperative that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every single day. This may seem like very little to some families, and to others, it might seem like an insurmountable task.
Studies have shown that children do significantly better in school if they get enough physical activity. Getting at least 60 minutes of exercise daily also reduces their risk of developing heart disease. Whether you put your child in sports, dance class, swimming lessons, or just give them plenty of time for outdoor play, making sure they get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day is really important. This is another reason why our kids wear the fitness watches. It keeps track of their steps and physical activity, plus they compete to see who can meet their daily goal of 60 minutes first.
3. Eat Healthy Foods
With all the summer activities you can do with your family this summer, it might be harder than ever to make sure that your kids are eating healthy. If you BBQ in the backyard, make sure you are serving a salad alongside those burgers. For breakfast, put slices of banana on their cereal, fruit salad with their toaster waffles or fresh fruit with their eggs and bacon. Make sure they are getting their daily required servings of fruits and veggies in there, even if they are eating convenience foods.
4. Wash Hands
Just because it’s no longer “cold season”, doesn’t mean they should stop washing their hands. In fact, with all the outdoor play, it’s even more important to make sure kids are washing their hands. It’s easy to catch a cold and spread germs even in the summer. No one wants to miss out on going to the beach because they are home sick with a runny nose. Keep hand sanitizer handy and diffuse essentials oil blends that are made to help boost immunity and fight germs.
5. Take Probiotics Daily
All of my friends and family know me as the crazy lady that always asks, “Have you taken YOUR probiotics today?!”
If anyone complains to me about intestinal imbalance, constipation, indigestion, or any kind of digestion issues, I always ask them if they have taken their probiotics! I know from experience that probiotics are essential to healthy digestion and that’s why I make sure my kids take their probiotics daily too!
Probiotics are good bacteria that provide a health benefit and are essential for many vital body functions, including healthy digestion. Stress, junk food and changes in routine can all disrupt your kids’ natural balance of good bacteria. You can help your children’s digestive system stay in tip-top shape by offer your kids a daily probiotic supplement like Align Jr. which can help support your child’s digestive health.*
I think probiotics for kids are just as important as they are for adults. Every deserves a happy tummy and probiotics for children are a great way to help keep them healthy.
Align, the #1 Doctor and Gastroenterologist-recommended probiotic brand‡ now makes great-tasting chewable vitamins for kids age 6-12 years old in yummy flavors your kids will love. You can save on Align Jr kids probiotics with this limited time offer for $3.00 off Align Jr Coupon.
If you want to learn more about Align Jr, click here to visit their website. You can also check out Align on Facebook.
*Align partnered with bloggers, such as me, to get the word out about its great product benefits. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. Align believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Align’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
‡ Among gastroenterologists and doctors who recommended a brand of probiotic in an AlphaImpactRx 2016 Survey.