Healthy routines

Help your child to thrive with these 8 healthy routines each day.

Start to introduce your baby to drinking from a cup or beaker from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals.

Add chopped fruits like berries, kiwi and apple to make water taste and look interesting.

Let your child choose their own water bottle – they are likely to drink more if they like their bottle!

Fruit juice and smoothies contain natural sugars and acids which can cause tooth decay. Children under 5 should not have fruit juice. Children over 5 should have no more than 1 glass (125ml) per day served at mealtimes.

Milk and water are the best drinks to keep me hydrated. These drinks are best for my teeth too.

Further information and ideas

Children need your help to stay hydrated.

Children can get dehydrated more easily than adults because they:

  • do not always know when they are thirsty
  • are usually very active
  • have a higher proportion of body water

Here are some useful sources of information:

Brush teeth twice per day for 2 minutes – brush once before bed and one other occasion. Use toothpaste that contains no less than 1000ppm of fluoride.

Children under age 3: use only a smear of toothpaste.

Children aged 3-6 years old: use a pea size amount of toothpaste.

Make bathtime fun by playing with bubbles, toys or empty bottles, jugs and sponges.

Further information and ideas

It is extremely important for children to be kept clean and for daily routines to include things such as:

  • brushing their teeth
  • having a bath
  • washing their hands after visiting the toilet

Babies and young children will need lots of support from an adult to carry out these things. 

Through showing young children how we keep ourselves clean it will instil good hygiene habitats as they grow up.

Here are some useful sources of information:

Start chatting to your baby while they’re in the womb.

Read books with your baby from the moment they’re born.

Use a sing-song voice with your baby – they love to listen to the sounds you are making!

Get down on your child’s level so you can see and hear each other.

Give your child time to reply to your questions – up to 10 seconds.

Follow your child’s interests and join in their play. Make everyday moments playful, such as bath time.

Bedtime is a great time to snuggle up and read a story together. But remember, you can read anytime, anywhere! Further information and ideas

Further information and ideas

Chatting, playing and reading with your child can all help to develop their social, intellectual, language and problem-solving skills.

Children learn through their play and interactions so try to build activities into each day to have little moments together with your little one.

Here are some useful sources of information:

Take time to listen to your child and communicate regularly. Show your interest in their thoughts and feelings.

Giving your baby or child lots of love and attention will help you become close. It will help your child feel calm and secure.

Cuddling and responding to your baby when they feel stressed helps them to feel safe.

Spending quality time together is a great way to build your relationship with your child.  Set aside regular time for play or hobbies.

You won’t spoil your child with too much love or too many cuddles. Lots of physical contact helps both you and your child to release the love hormone, oxytocin.

Further information and ideas

Spending quality time with young children is vital for their development. Engaging in activities, reading together, and simply being present helps children feel loved and secure.

This time together fosters emotional wellbeing and lays the groundwork for strong, healthy relationships in the future.

Here are some useful sources of information:

Turn off all screens an hour before bedtime – the television, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Screens can be mentally stimulating, and they may also slow the production of the sleepy hormone, melatonin.

Set up an activity for your child before bed, such as crafts, colouring, lego or a jigsaw. This can help them to relax.

Classical music can be soothing and useful to play in the background during the bedtime routine.

Set aside time in the day for your child to share any worries they may have. Give your child your full attention and talk about how their day has been and what is planned for the next day.

Consider lighting – dim the lights an hour before bed and create a relaxing environment.  This will help your child to produce the sleep hormone melatonin.

Massage can support some children to relax.

A simple timetable for bedtime may help your child to settle and encourage their independence skills before their story.

Further information and ideas

Sleep is essential for the development of young minds and for children's mental and physical health.

Research shows that sleep affects alertness, cognition, mood, learning and memory.

Many children find it difficult to settle at bedtime and may often wake up during the night.

There are simple things you can try to help your child to wind down and prepare for a good night's sleep.

Here are some useful sources of information:

Infants should be physically active several times every day in a variety of ways, including interactive floor-based activity, such as crawling.

For infants not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes of tummy time during waking hours. Babies should not sleep on their tummies.

Children up to 5 years old should spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) per day in a variety of physical activities, including active and outdoor play.

Other movements include reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling themselves independently, or rolling over.

Further information and ideas

Being physically active is essential for the growth and development of your child.

All physical activity counts from light activity to more active energetic play.

The UK's Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines (2019) recommends that children aged 1 to 5 should aim to have at least 3 hours of physical activity each day.

Here are some useful sources of information:

The outdoors is the best place to enjoy games and help build my physical, social and emotional skills.

Children love running, jumping, climbing and chasing!

Going outdoors is great fun! Children love using their imagination and talking about what they see.

The sun gives us the vitamin D that we need to help our body and mind. Vitamin D increases the production of serotonin which supports your child’s mood and is linked to happiness.

Spending time outdoors can have a positive impact on both mental and physical health at any age.

Children enjoy connecting with nature and exploring different types of plants – it makes them feel calm.

Further information and ideas

Going outdoors every day can help your child's mental and physical health.

Children can have endless fun outdoors exploring the world around them. Going outdoors with your child will help to give their brain a rest.

Being active in the outdoors releases chemicals which will:

  • boost your child's emotional wellbeing and self-esteem
  • reduce stress and anxiety

Here are some useful sources of information:

Our 'Walk and Talk' page has printable cards to use as prompts when you are out and about at different places, such as at the shops or at the bus stop. Chatting with your child while you are on the go will make a big difference to their language development. The activity cards are available to download in 7 different languages.

Chatting, playing and reading more with your child outdoors and at home will help them to learn and grow. Take a look at these fun activities for all ages.

This document from Barnados provides information about all the learning opportunities through outdoor play: Outdoor Play Matters: The Benefits of Outdoor Play for Young Children - Barnados

Remember not to add extra sugar or salt to meals.

Let your child help to prepare their snacks and meals. Children are more likely to eat a meal if they have helped to make it.

There are lots of yummy healthy food swaps for mealtimes and snacks.

If your child doesn’t like wholegrain bread – why not try making a sandwich from one slice of white bread and one slice of brown bread.

Let your child choose what healthy foods to put in their packed lunch. Give them a choice of two, such as, “Would you like a banana or an apple?”

Further information and ideas

Research shows that food can affect children's mood, concentration, sleep, and overall health.

Encouraging your child to eat lots of fruits and vegetables from a young age will help them get the nutrients they need.

It will also train their palate to like these foods, which will increase the chances of them choosing to eat healthy options throughout childhood and into adulthood.

There are some simple ways you can encourage healthy eating habits and reduce food waste.

Here are some useful sources of information:

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