1st Grade Physical Health Tips

Lessons in Sport

Explore age-appropriate lessons and sports for your 1st grader. These might include gymnastics or ballet classes or soccer lessons.

Screen Time

Limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the television or computer monitor. Children who spend a majority of their time engaged in sedentary activities have been found to have poor motor coordination skills. Limit the amount of time that your child remains inactive to no more than an hour at a time.

Hygiene vs. Health

Make sure your child understands the connection between good hygiene and good health. Explain the importance of not sharing drinking containers and straws, for example, with other kids at school.

Sugary Foods

Limit your child’s consumption of sugary or sticky foods, which are the main culprits in tooth decay.  Teach your child to use their tongue to clean off their teeth immediately after they have eaten foods that stick to their teeth.

Limit Juice

Limit juice consumption to mealtimes and dilute sweet juices with water to cut down on their sugar content.

Soft Drinks and Sodas

Avoid or severely restrict consumption of soft drinks and sodas.

Consistent Sleep

Consistency is the key to your child’s sleep success. Ensure that your child gets to bed and wakes up around the same time on weekdays and weekends. Your child may try to sleep in on the weekends, which is likely a sign that they are not getting enough sleep. Experts recommend that their bedtime on the weekends be within an hour of their weekday bedtime and that your child should sleep for about the same amount of total time.