Key habits all year: Ideas for September

Use the 5-2-1-0 approach to keep the kiddos engaged in healthy activities in the dog days of summer.

Here's what each number means for each day: 

• 5 veggies and fruits
• 2 hours or fewer of screen time
• 1 hour of movement
• 0 sugary drinks

Here are 5-2-1-0 ideas to try for the month of September:

Pack school lunches together. 

Consider the following to help your child get five veggies or fruit a day:

• Serving sizes for young children are smaller than for adults. Those little tummies can fill up fast. For example, a 5-year-old needs just ¼ cup of veggies as a serving and only about half of a medium size fruit. Learn more about serving sizes by age. 
• Let your child pick one veggie and one fruit from a few suitable options. 
• Some forms “travel” better than others. Think mushy banana vs. banana chips. Explore options that match your child’s likes.
• Keep in mind your child’s age when you decide what to offer. Think easy — for you — and safe — for them. Maybe applesauce vs. grapes. Grapes can be a choking hazard unless you cut them up.
• If your little one tends to eat slowly, consider choices that make it easier to finish their lunch. Would squeeze pouches of fruit and veggie puree work? To save money, you might experiment with making your own at home.
• As your conscience allows, sneak a veggie or fruit into something your child readily eats. That could be a slice of zucchini bread or a banana muffin.

If your kids come home from school famished, try these kid-friendly snack recipes. 

Draw pictures or color.

Try doing this with your kiddos to take a break from screens (limit screentime to less than two hours per day). They’ll enjoy your company and undivided attention. You might benefit from the practice as well. Studies show that drawing and other creative activities reduce stress and anxiety.

Maybe draw something that will help you remember your summer vacation. Or make pictures of what you want to do in the future. If drawing causes stress, switch to coloring instead. It’s a powerful way of focusing attention and living in the moment.

Short on paper? Check the recycling bin. You can use the back of envelopes from junk mail. And maybe you’ll feel less guilty if the end product goes back to the bin later.

Is the front of your refrigerator door already plastered with art? Agree what to do with the pictures. Put a date on the page and remove it from the kitchen art gallery after a month. File “keepers” to sort through later. Smaller pieces of artwork can be laminated as a bookmark.

You can also share with others. Grandparents Day is in September. If grandparents aren’t nearby, talk with older people in your neighborhood or house of worship. They might enjoy a special piece of art.

Play at the playground. 

Ask your kids to show you their favorite playground equipment. Or have them explain the games they like to play during recess. This is a good way to get one hour of movement in a day.

Visit the school playground or go to a park with the equipment your kids like.

Talk about what you enjoyed when you were their age. 

Check your kids’ knowledge about playground safety. 

Update your child’s reusable water bottle.

Having a cool new water bottle might be just the ticket to encourage zero sugary drinks.

See what’s available in back-to-school sales. You might also find affordable options at a thrift store. 

If getting a whole new bottle seems wasteful, maybe replace the part that’s showing wear. 

Did a perfectly good bottle go missing? Send your kiddos on a hunt. Maybe it’s under the bed, in the back of a closet, the car or a friend’s house. Or check the lost and found box at the soccer field, ballpark or school.