We all want to be healthy, right? I bet if we took a poll of Rockfordian's and asked what your main goals were, being healthy would probably be near the top.

13 Ways Rockford Parents Can Observe National Child Health Day
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The thing is we all WANT to be healthy. Nobody says... "hey man, I think today I'm going to see how many greasy cheeseburgers and snickers bars I can eat while binge watching Netflix all day." No, it's more like... "Ugh, I really need to go to the gym and try to eat healthier today." Yes, we all want to be healthier. Imagine being a child, and growing up playing sports, eating salads, not smoking, etc.. It would be much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle later in life, rather than kick unhealthy habits and learn new routines. That's what today is all about. It's National Child Health Day and it's on you to start instilling healthy habits in your child's mind, body, and soul. So how do you do that? Here are 13 simple ways.

  1. Take a nightly walk after dinner.
  2. Take the kids to a park, or just get outdoors in your backyard.
  3. Less screen time, more play time. Board games, hide and seek, cards, etc.
  4. Have the kids help you with yard work. Raking leaves is easy, and fun for the littles when they get to jump in the pile at the end.
  5. Sign your child up for a sport. Check out the Rockford Park District website, there are tons to choose from.
  6. Go to an orchard and pick apples.
  7. Take a trip to the grocery store and have your kids pick out some healthy snacks.
  8. Teach them how to read nutrition labels and what to look for in healthy foods.
  9. Read an inspirational story to them.
  10. Teach them about helping others by taking them to pick out some things to donate to a food pantry or Rockford Rescue Mission.
  11. Walk around your neighborhood and pick up garbage.
  12. Schedule your child's wellness checkup with their pediatrician if they haven't been in over a year.
  13. Make a healthy meal with your child.

Whatever you do today, just make sure you spend quality time with your kids. That IS the most important thing you can give them in life.

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