Healthy Habits for Children Ages 6 to 12
Healthy Habits for Children Ages 6 to 12
Blog

Healthy Habits for Children Ages 6 to 12

New Horizons School offers practical tools to encourage healthy eating habits for children ages 6 to 12, as a family.

18-10-2025

Attention, moms and dads! This is a very important mission!

No, we're not talking about saving the world, though it might help — we're talking about nourishing our children, those little adventurers who sometimes just won't eat what we make for them. And no, this isn't going to be another dull guide full of "shoulds." This time, we want to give you practical tools full of tricks, ideas, and tips to encourage healthy habits as a family.

We know that, at this stage, your children are a whirlwind of discovery, full of endless questions and, of course, a few battles at mealtime and bedtime. How can we promote healthy habits in our children? One answer is to turn play, meal, and rest routines into an adventure.

Play. The adventure of moving.

At this stage, we need to understand that our children have a lot of energy, and what we can do is help channel it. Here are a few ideas:

  • Find a moment during the day to move the body — it doesn't have to be a formal sport, just free play like jumping, running, dancing, and so on.
  • Replace screen time with more creative activities like drawing, helping in the kitchen, board games, or puzzles.

The WHO recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

Sleep. The adventure of recharging.

  • Create a routine with set times for dinner, brushing teeth, reading a story, and going to sleep. This gives children a sense of security, gives you structure, and helps you both prepare for rest little by little.
  • Make sure the room where they sleep is calm, cool, and has low light.

The WHO recommends between 9 and 12 hours of sleep each night for optimal health.

Food. The adventure of colors.

  • Offer small amounts of food several times a day. When it comes to new foods, children often need to try something up to 10 times before accepting it.
  • Create fun shapes with food, like happy faces or animals. You can use cookie cutters on sandwiches or bread. Your imagination is key.

The WHO recommends a varied diet that includes foods from all food groups at each meal.

Remember that your children learn from what they see — you are their role model. Turn everyday moments like bath time, mealtime, car rides, or doctor's visits into simple little adventures. This helps create a relaxed environment for your children and motivates them to follow routines, respect boundaries, and have fun along the way.

Building healthy habits can take several days or weeks — the key is to stay consistent and look for a bit of fun in every activity you do with your children. Offer choices instead of demands, set limits with love, and allow yourself to negotiate with them from time to time.

Our approach to well-rounded development includes healthy habits aimed at supporting children's optimal growth and wellbeing. We focus on a model that helps raise children in a safe, happy environment where they feel comfortable asking questions, communicating, working as a team, and building solid foundations for the academic levels ahead.

If you'd like to learn more about physical activity, sleep, and nutrition, there are organizations dedicated to researching and sharing healthy guidelines for people, such as the WHO (World Health Organization) and various disease prevention centers. Depending on age group, physical activity level, and appetite, different standards are set to help people achieve overall wellbeing. To learn more about this topic, we invite you to visit:

World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/health-topics/child-health#tab=tab_1

World Health Organization (Spanish): https://www.who.int/es

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