As parents, we all dream of a bright and healthy future for our children. We marvel at their boundless energy, their infectious laughter, and their incredible capacity to learn and grow. One of the most significant gifts we can give them on this journey is the foundation of healthy habits – patterns of behaviour established early in life that can profoundly influence their well-being for years to come.
My name is Dr. Santosh Madrewar, and as a Senior Paediatrician and the Founder of Borneo Hospital, with our dedicated centres for child and family health in Thane, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Raipur City, I’ve seen firsthand the remarkable impact that positive lifestyle choices can have on a child’s overall development. It’s not just about preventing illness; it’s about nurturing thriving, resilient, and happy individuals.
This article aims to provide practical guidance and inspiration for parents in India on establishing a range of Healthy Habits in Children. We will explore key areas including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, hygiene, managing screen time, and the undeniable power of your own example. Remember, fostering these habits isn’t about achieving perfection overnight, but about taking consistent, positive steps together as a family.
Why are Healthy Habits in Childhood So Crucial?
Instilling healthy habits early on is far more than just teaching children to “be good.” It’s about building a strong foundation for a lifetime of health and happiness.
Optimal Physical Health:
Good nutrition and regular physical activity are essential for supporting healthy growth and development, building strong bones and muscles, maintaining a healthy weight, and boosting the immune system to help fight off common infections. Crucially, these habits established in childhood significantly reduce the risk of developing chronic lifestyle-related diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart conditions later in life – health concerns that are increasingly prevalent in India.
Enhanced Mental & Emotional Well-being:
There’s a strong link between a child’s physical health and their mental state. Adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and regular Physical Activity positively impact a child’s mood, their ability to concentrate, their capacity to manage stress, and helps build emotional resilience.
Improved Academic Performance & Learning:
Children who eat well, sleep sufficiently, and are physically active often demonstrate better focus, attention span, memory retention, and overall learning capabilities in school. These habits support their cognitive development.
Building Lifelong Patterns:
The routines and preferences established in early childhood – what they eat, how active they are, their sleep patterns – tend to carry through into adolescence and adulthood. By nurturing healthy habits now, you are making a long-term investment in their future well-being.
Overall Quality of Life & Happiness:
Ultimately, healthy children generally have more energy, greater confidence, and a better capacity to engage with the world, learn, play, and simply enjoy life to its fullest.
Pillar 1: Nourishing Bodies – Cultivating Healthy Eating Habits
What our children eat fuels their growth and energy. Good Nutrition is key.
Focus on Whole Foods:
Prioritise a diet rich in fresh, minimally processed ingredients. Think colourful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lentils (dals), beans (legumes), lean proteins (paneer, eggs, chicken, fish), and dairy products.
Making Healthy Foods Appealing:
- Offer a wide variety of colours and textures. Children often eat with their eyes!
- Involve them in simple, age-appropriate ways in grocery shopping (letting them pick a new vegetable) or meal preparation (washing veggies, stirring). They are more likely to try foods they helped make.
- Get creative with presentation – cut sandwiches into fun shapes, arrange fruit slices into a smile.
The Importance of Family Mealtimes:
Whenever possible, try to eat at least one meal together as a family, free from screens and other distractions. This provides a wonderful opportunity for connection, conversation, and for children to see you enjoying healthy foods. These times helps build strong bonds.
Smart Snacking Strategies:
Keep healthy snacks readily available. Great Indian options include fresh fruit, vegetable sticks (cucumber/kakkdi, carrot/gajar) with a simple curd dip, roasted (not fried) makhana (fox nuts) or chana, plain yoghurt, sprouts chaat, or nuts and seeds (ensure they are age-appropriate to avoid choking hazards). Limit the availability of sugary biscuits, chips, and processed snacks.
Hydration – Water is Best:
Encourage your children to drink plain water throughout the day. Limit access to sugary drinks, packaged fruit juices, and sodas, which offer little nutritional value.
Tackling Picky Eating:
Many children go through phases of picky eating. Stay patient, continue to offer a variety of healthy foods without pressure, and avoid turning mealtimes into a battle. Often, just one new food alongside familiar favourites is a good approach.
Role Modelling:
Children learn what to eat by watching you. Ensure they see you enjoying a wide range of healthy foods.
Pillar 2: Active Bodies – Encouraging Regular Physical Activity
Movement should be a joyful part of every child’s day!
- Make it Fun! For young children, Physical Activity is all about play. Focus on activities they enjoy, rather than structured ‘exercise’.
- Age-Appropriate Activities:
- Toddlers (1-3 years): Encourage lots of free play – running, jumping, climbing (in safe environments), dancing, simple ball games, pushing and pulling toys.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): They enjoy more structured games like tag (pakda-pakdi), hide-and-seek, cycling with training wheels, simple sports, dancing to music, and imaginative active play. Aim for at least 60 minutes of energetic play daily.
- School-Aged Children (5+ years): Support their participation in sports they like (cricket, football, badminton are popular in India), cycling, swimming, skipping, running, or active hobbies. Aim for at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day.
- Embrace Outdoor Play: There’s no substitute for playing outdoors! It offers fresh air, sunshine (for Vitamin D), and ample space to run, jump, and explore. Make regular trips to local parks or safe open areas. Traditional Indian games like Lagori or Kho-Kho are fantastic ways to be active.
- Family Activity Time: Get active together! Weekend walks, family games in the park, cycling, or even just a lively dance session at home can be great fun and sets a positive example.
- Limit Sedentary Time: Alongside encouraging activity, be mindful of long periods spent sitting. Encourage active breaks.
Pillar 3: Restful Nights – Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits
Sufficient, good-quality sleep is absolutely essential for a child’s growth, learning, mood, and immune function.
- Age-Appropriate Sleep: Understand the general sleep needs for your child’s age (toddlers typically need 11-14 hours, preschoolers 10-13 hours, and school-aged children 9-11 hours, including naps for younger ones).
- The Magic of a Consistent Bedtime Routine: Establish a predictable, calming sequence of activities every night before bed. This might include a warm bath, brushing teeth, changing into pyjamas, reading a quiet story together, a gentle cuddle, and then lights out. Consistency helps signal to your child’s body that it’s time to wind down for sleep.
- Create a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom: Ensure their bedroom is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable.
- Screens Off Before Bed: The blue light from screens (TVs, tablets, phones) can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, making it harder to fall asleep. Aim for screen-free time for at least an hour before bedtime.
Pillar 4: Good Hygiene – The Foundation of Health
Simple hygiene practices are powerful tools for preventing illness.
- Handwashing Heroes: Teach and consistently reinforce thorough handwashing with soap and water at key times – before eating, after using the toilet, after playing outside, and after coughing or sneezing. This is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections, particularly relevant in all communities.
- Dental Care Champions: Establish the habit of brushing teeth twice a day (after breakfast and before bed) using a fluoride toothpaste (an age-appropriate, pea-sized amount for young children). Encourage regular dental check-ups.
- Bathing & Personal Cleanliness: Regular bathing helps keep skin healthy and teaches children about personal care.
- Cough & Sneeze Etiquette: Teach children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue (and dispose of it properly) or into their elbow when they cough or sneeze.
Pillar 5: Managing Screen Time Mindfully
In our digital age, managing screen time is a key part of fostering Healthy Habits in Children.
- The Challenge: Screens are everywhere, but excessive or unmanaged screen use can negatively impact children’s Physical Activity levels, sleep quality, attention span, social skills, and even language development.
- Set Clear & Consistent Limits: Establish family rules about when, where (e.g., no screens in bedrooms or during meals), and for how long screens can be used, based on your child’s age (referencing guidelines from paediatric bodies like the Indian Academy of Pediatrics or WHO).
- Prioritise Quality Content: When screens are used, encourage age-appropriate, educational, and interactive content over passive viewing of cartoons or videos. Co-view with your child when possible to discuss what they are seeing.
- Actively Encourage Offline Activities: The best way to manage screen time is to offer plenty of engaging alternatives – outdoor play, creative hobbies, reading books, board games, puzzles, and interactive family time.
Pillar 6: The Power of Positive Parental Role Modelling (The Overarching Principle!)
This is perhaps the most influential strategy of all.
- Children Learn by Watching You: Your children are constantly observing your habits and attitudes. You are their first and most important teacher when it comes to Healthy Habits in Children.
- Practice What You Preach: Let them see you making healthy food choices, being physically active, managing your own screen time responsibly, prioritising sleep, and coping with stress in positive ways. Your actions speaks much louder than words.
- Consistency & Patience: Instilling these habits is not always easy and takes time. There will be days when things don’t go to plan. Be patient with your child and with yourself. Consistency in your approach is more important than occasional slip-ups.
Borneo Hospital’s Role in Supporting Healthy Family Lifestyles
As your paediatric partners, we at Borneo Hospital are here to support you in nurturing these vital habits.
- During your child’s regular well-child visits at our clinics in Thane, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, or Raipur City, myself and my team routinely discuss your child’s growth, nutrition, activity levels, sleep patterns, and overall development. These check-ups are an excellent opportunity to ask questions and get personalised advice.
- We provide evidence-based guidance and can offer resources or referrals for nutritional counselling or other specialised support if specific challenges arise. Our focus is always on the holistic well-being of your child and family.
Fostering Healthy Habits in Children from their earliest years is one of the most significant investments you can make in their present happiness and future well-being. By focusing on the key pillars of balanced nutrition, regular Physical Activity, sufficient sleep, good hygiene, mindful screen use, and, above all, leading by positive example, you empower your children to thrive.
Remember, this is a journey, not a destination. Aim for progress, not perfection. Make healthy choices the easy and enjoyable norm for your family. The team at Borneo Hospital is committed to partnering with you every step of the way, providing expert guidance and support to help you raise healthy, happy children.
