By Lewis
Homeschooling can be very rewarding, for both you and your children – but some days it can also be quite the challenge. There is so much to do and learn, and you also want to make sure that your kids are staying healthy in between schoolwork. Read on for some tips to help your kids (and you!) stay healthy!
Take Care of Yourself
Perhaps the best piece of advice when it comes to keeping your family healthy while homeschooling is that you have to keep yourself healthy first, or no one will be healthy or happy. It can be difficult to homeschool effectively and take care of your kids’ health if you aren’t feeling so good yourself. Take some time to take care of yourself – take a long walk, meet a friend for lunch, or even take in a movie by yourself. Make sure you eat right and include some collagen protein for optimum health and energy.
Start the Day off Right
You may have lots planned for the day, but taking the time to move around at the beginning of the day can make a big difference. Take the dog for a quick walk around the block, or if it’s cold outside start the day off with some stretches.
Take Breaks
It is important for adults to get up and stretch during the work day. It isn’t good for the body or the mind to be still for too long. This also applies to children and teens – maybe even more so. In fact, teens should be physically active at least 60 minutes of every day. But it doesn’t have to be all at once. Every 30 minutes, get everyone up to do something active for ten minutes. This can even include doing some jumping jacks or running around the yard.
Take a Nature Hike
One of the great things about homeschooling is that you get to set your family’s own schedule. If you have a national park or forest area within driving distance, taking an afternoon for a nature hike is a nice way to not only do something different but to add some movement into the schedule.
Make Staying Healthy a Part of Learning
You may get to set your family’s own schedule, but that doesn’t mean you have a lot of time to waste! It can be hard to find time to make nutritious snacks and meals. Why not get the kids involved and make it a part of learning? When you teach them how to cook you are giving them a lifelong skill, but cooking is also a great way to get some real-world experience with reading, measuring, and math. You can also incorporate lessons into your curriculum about why it is important to eat a healthy diet and the benefits of exercise.
End the Day Right, Too
Get your kids in the habit of cleaning up the “schoolroom” at the end of each day. It will not only set all of you up for a great day of learning tomorrow, but a room free of dirt, dust, and clutter is a healthier and safer room.
Take Advantage of the Weekends
Depending on your style of homeschooling, during the week you may feel obligated to have your kids sitting at the table for much of the day working on their lessons. The weekends, though, give you the perfect opportunity to take the kids outside for some real fun. Play touch football, have a water gun fight, or create some “family Olympics” games. Not only will this count as PE credit, your kids may be shocked to find that staying healthy can actually be fun!
Set an Example
If your kids see you moving around, they are more likely to want to join in. If they see you eating lots of fruits and veggies, that sets a good example for them, too.
Homeschooling is a lot of work, but it can also be a lot of fun. Take the time to have fun and be active with your kids – it will create a healthy learning environment that all of you will enjoy more.