By: Kem Nwadei
Kids begin learning healthy behaviors at an early age. As they grow older, they continue picking up different health habits from home, school, and their friends. By promoting healthy living in schools, we can encourage kids to make positive health choices.
One way to keep kids motivated and interested in learning healthy behaviors is by using the reward system. In a Health Challenge, kids will learn about healthy behaviors, complete healthy living tasks, and earn points until they have reached their goal. Each healthy living task that kids complete will be worth 2 points. Once they have earned 10 points, kids will be able to cash them in for a reward of your choosing (ideas listed below).
As the kids accomplish tasks and earn points, it will boost their feelings of self-accomplishment and show the kids that there is a benefit to making healthy choices. Overall, introducing the Health Challenge will give them autonomy and encourage them to engage in healthy behaviors in a fun way!
Here is a list of supplies to get your Health Challenge started today:
- Create a flyer that highlights different health behaviors (can use Canva.com or other free online application)
- Possible health behavior topics:
- Physical activity
- Nutrition
- Sleep
- Possible health behavior topics:
- Print off the Health Challenge list shown below
- Print off the Habit Tracker Chart found below
Potential HEALTH CHALLENGE LIST for the importance of Physical Activity
Potential HEALTH CHALLENGE LIST for the importance of Nutrition
Potential HEALTH CHALLENGE LIST for the importance of Sleep
Habit Tracker Chart
References
Fisher, M. C., Villegas, E., Sutter, C., Musaad, S. M., Koester, B., & Fiese, B. H. (2019). Sprouts Growing Healthy Habits: Curriculum Development and Pilot Study. Frontiers in public health, 7, 65. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00065