Top Tips for Encouraging Healthy Habits in Early Childhood

The early years are a crucial time for children to learn healthy habits that support their physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. From eating nutritious foods to staying active and developing good hygiene practices. By encouraging healthy habits in early childhood , we're helping out little stars build strong foundations for a lifetime for health and happiness. Here are our top tips to help children learn and enjoy healthy habits both at nursery and at home.

1. Make Mealtimes About Healthy Habits

Healthy mealtimes are one of the best opportunities to teach children nutrition and balance. Developing positive food habits early helps children understand what their bodies need and encourages them to make balanced choices as they grow.

At Shining Stars Nursery, we use mealtimes as mini learning moments. We talk about where food comes from, the importance of variety, and how different food helps our bodies. We also introduce the idea of "eating the rainbow", helping children understand that different colours of fruits and vegetables give their bodies different vitamins and nutrients. This makes healthy eating fun, visual, and easy for young children to grasp.

At home, you can support this by involving children in shopping or cooking, asking them to choose a new colourful fruit or vegetable to try, or helping mix ingredients. Making food fun, social, and educational ensures mealtimes become more than just about eating, they become a foundation for lifelong healthy habits.

2. Build Healthy Habits in Early Childhood Through Active Play

Movement in early childhood is essential for healthy development. At Shining Stars Nursery, we create plenty of opportunities for children to move, explore, and challenge themselves. Whether it's outdoor play in our garden, or dancing to music.

Active play strengthens bodies and builds confidence, but it's also great for emotional wellbeing. At home, you can continue these healthy habits through nature walks, bike rides, or simply a family dance-off in the living room! For more ideas on how to build healthy habits in early childhood through play, visit the NHS website.

3. Promote Healthy Habits Through Good Sleep Routines

Sleep is key to growth, focus, and mood. At Shining Stars Nursery, we understand that busy days full of learning and play can tire little ones out, so we build rest time into our daily routine. Calm music, soft lighting, and quiet spaces help children recharge and feel settled.

You can reinforce these healthy habits at home with a consistent bedtime routine. For example, bath, story and bed, helps your child know when it's time to relax. Avoiding screens before sleep and creating a peaceful environment can make a big difference.

4. Foster healthy Habits Through Hygiene and Self-Care

Good hygiene and self-care routines are essential parts of a child's overall wellbeing. They not only keep children healthy but also help them develop independence, responsibility, and self-confidence. At Shining Stars Nursery, we embed these healthy habits into our daily routine, for example, encouraging children to wash their hands at key times, cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, and take care of their personal belongings. We also talk about why these actions matter, helping children understand that washing away germs or brushing teeth keeps their bodies strong and healthy. For posters on healthy habits through hygiene and self-care for children visit, the hand washing help website.

At home, you can reinforce these lessons by establishing consistent routines and setting clear expectations. Encourage your child to take ownership of their self care, such as choosing their toothbrush, learning to wash their face, or helping pack their own bag for nursery. Visual prompts like washing posters or checklists can help young children remember these steps in a fun, engaging way.

Most importantly, praise their efforts rather than aiming for perfection. When hygiene and self-care are taught positively and consistently, children begin to see them not as chores, but as natural empowering parts of everyday life. These are key healthy habits that support lifelong wellbeing.

5. Model Healthy Habits

Children learn best by watching the adults around them. When they see parents and teachers making positive choices, like drinking water, eating well, and staying active, they're more likely to do the same.

At Shining Stars Nursery, our staff model healthy habits throughout the day, showing children that wellbeing is a joyful part of everyday life. You don't need perfection, just small consistent actions that show your child what balance looks like.

6. Celebrate Success and Keep Healthy Habits Fun

At Shining Stars, we love to celebrate achievements, whether big or small! We recognise and praise good behaviour surrounding healthy habits to help children feel proud of their progress.

Families can do the same at home by celebrating efforts rather than results. When children associate healthy habits with fun, encouragement, and togetherness, they're far more likely to keep them as they grow.

Looking Ahead

Supporting healthy habits in early childhood is about creating consistency, not perfection. Children learn best through example, routine, and plenty of opportunities to try things for themselves. Whether it's giving them time to run, climb, and balance, encouraging them to help prepare meals, or helping them recognise how movement and rest both matter, each experience helps build confidence and understanding.

At Shining Stars Nursery, we see every day as a chance to help children make positive choices about their wellbeing. Through active play, nutritious meals, and calm, mindful routines, we aim to create an environment where healthy habits become a natural part of daily life. We also know that these habits grow strongest when home and nursery work together, sharing ideas and supporting one another.

By fostering this partnership, we can help children develop not just physical health, but a sense of balance, independence, and self-awareness. Skills thats will serve them well long after the early years.

---

If you'd like to find out more about how we promote healthy development and wellbeing at Shining Stars Nursery, please get in touch or visit us to see our approach in action.

We're always happy to share ideas and work with families to give every child the best possible start.

Contact us by email: info@shiningstarscardiff.co.uk or over the phone (07812 459535).

*Disclaimer: Some links on this blog lead to third-party websites. These are provided for convenience only. This blog does not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for any content on external sites.