Practice 5-2-1-0 all year: Ideas for April

Family members can help each other stay healthy. Everyone of any age can use the 5-2-1-0 approach. Here’s what each number represents every day:

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

Take advantage of seasonal changes to find new ways to apply 5-2-1-0 in your home. 

Here are a few ideas for the month of April:

To eat 5 veggies and fruits per day  –  Be playful with fruits and veggies.

Look online for April Fools’ Day food ideas. One example:  make Jell-O in a drinking glass — adding chunks of fruit and a straw. It will look like juice, but — surprise! — it will be too thick to drink. Gentle tricks like this, done in a considerate spirit, can make your family smile.

To limit screen time under two hours  –  Count your neighborhood trees.

Arbor Day and Earth Day are in April — a great time to be outside and appreciate nature. For little ones, try counting your trees in your area. For older kids, talk about the kinds of trees you see — evergreen, flowering and fruit. Look for changes as a new season arrives. You might also see if your community has an opportunity to help plant trees at a park or other local greenspace.

To get one hour of daily movement   –  Have a catch.

Grab a ball. Soccer ball. Beach ball. Spongey ball. Baseball. You can use any kind of ball that’s appropriate for your child’s age. If there’s more than two of you, use more balls or take turns throwing to each person in a circle. It’s good for building hand-eye coordination. And it’s easy to talk with each other while you do it.

To encourage zero-sugar drinks  –  Straws can make a drink feel special.

Do straws make it more fun for your kiddos to sip their zero-sugar drinks? Here’s some good news: You can now find different kinds of straws that won’t harm the planet. They can be made of paper, metal, reusable hard plastic and even wheat (score! straws made of straw!). You might also find edible straws. 

Small steps make a difference.  Try these and other tips to see how you and your family feel about building healthy habits — little by little.

Staying healthy isn’t always easy. When you or your family are under the weather, PeaceHealth is here for you — ready to help you get back to feeling better.