It is never too early to teach your child about keeping healthy. Although you can do activities with him, remember that your child will learn by your example. If you want your child to make good food choices, be mindful of what you eat. If you want your child to brush his teeth, be sure to brush yours as well.

As your child matures, you will be able to use direct instruction more and more. Keep in mind that to be effective, these activities need to be interesting and fun for your child so that he wants to continue them on his own.

Paper-Plate Meals

Help your child learn about nutrition and balanced meals with this activity. You may wish to introduce the concept of the basic food groups here.

• Go through the magazines with your child and help him select food pictures that he wants to include in his “meal.”

• Assist your child in tearing or cutting out the selected pictures.

• Show your child how to glue the food onto the plate to create a meal. Your child may enjoy doing a separate plate for each meal of the day.

Family Home

Your child will enjoy making a replica of his own home. He can also use his imagination to create a pretend home.

• Rinse out the milk carton and cut the spout top off.

• Help your child cover the carton with construction paper and glue.

• Let your child color in the details such as doors and shingles with crayons.

• If you wish, you can cut out template shapes of windows, doors, bushes, and so on for your child to glue onto his house.

Feed Me!

Here is a fun way to help your child start to make healthy food choices. Instead of making the head, you can purchase a bean-bag target face for the same purpose.

• Cut a large head (approximately the size of a beach ball) out of poster board. Cut out a hole for the mouth.

• Have your child help you decorate the head.

• Provide your child with a variety of magazine clippings of food pictures. Be sure to have a wide selection of both nutritious and junk foods. Ask your child to feed the head with only those foods that are nutritious.

Sparkle Germs

Young children are often resistant to washing their hands. It is hard for them to understand things that they cannot see. Here is a concrete way to teach them about germs and the importance of washing hands.

• Sprinkle a bit of glitter onto your child's hands. Explain that these glitter specks are like germs, which can make them sick. The germs are very small and they stick to you and get passed along.

• Have your child touch different surfaces and shake hands with other people. Show him how the germs (glitter) spread.

• Have your child wash his hands and see how the germs are washed away.

Brush the Tooth

It is never too early to teach your child about the importance of good dental hygiene.

• Cut a tooth shape from the construction paper.

• Talk with your child about teeth and how when they are not brushed, they can develop decay and turn yellow.

• Let him use the toothbrush to paint the tooth with pretend toothpaste (white paint).