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Happy New Year

Happy New YearHappy New Year … almost! Hopefully all of you have had a memorable 2015 and are excited about all of the new opportunities that come with a new year. Make sure and be safe tonight while celebrating. We look forward to spending another fun and healthy year with each of you! Check back with us in January to see some new and exciting things that we have going on for the kids in the new year. Here’s to a healthy 2016!

If you need to keep the kids entertained and awake until the ball drops, download a fun Happy New Year coloring page and activity sheet:

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5 Simple Ways to a Healthier 2016

5 simple ways to a healthier 2016

Most of us create resolutions at the beginning of a new year. After all, it’s a great time to make behavior changes and start off the year with healthier habits than you left behind the year before. Many resolutions are unkept because they are too ambitious and cannot be adhered to after the first week. 

Here are 5 simple ways to a healthier 2016:

  • Eat breakfast – This seems simple, right? Many people think skipping this all-important meal will help in weight loss goals, however, getting your day started with a healthy breakfast is the best thing for you.
  • Ease into exercise – Start out with smaller goals such as taking a walk after dinner, or a quick run with the dog before or after work and then work up to more intense exercise sessions.
  • Find a workout partner – It is easier to stay committed when you have someone keeping you accountable. If you know your best friend is going to be waiting for you at the gym, you are more likely to go!
  • Cook with simple swaps – Try healthier versions of your favorite dishes by substituting lower-fat alternatives! Turkey sausage, low-fat cheese, and greek yogurt are a few examples of some tasty swaps! Check out some of our favorite healthy ingredient substitutions.
  • Engage with family – There is nothing better than spending quality time with family except for fitting in physical activity while bonding! Take a family walk or weekend hike and you will see how good it feels for the entire family to be healthy!

While we’re talking about simple ways to a healthier 2016, if you haven’t come up with your new year’s resolutions yet, download this resolutions worksheet for you and your kids. Make it fun, and make sure to be creative, yet realistic.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race! It’s the small things that can make a big difference, so commit to a healthy 2016 now!

What resolutions do you hope to accomplish this year?

Encourage Kids to Write Thank You Notes

encourage kids to write thank you notes

The thank you note seems to almost be forgotten in this age of technology, however we think that it is still something to be valued. This is why we want you to encourage kids to write thank you notes. Teaching them to be thankful and grateful for things they are given will always be beneficial to them. Writing a special thank you note in response to a favorite gift received, or for someone doing something generous, will really go a long way and will be much appreciated. 

To help encourage kids to write thank you notes, download the coloring page for today:

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Christmas Eve Celebration

Christmas Eve CelebrationChristmas Eve is kind of like the calm before the storm, especially when real little kids are involved. If you don’t already have this tradition, it could be a fun idea to have a Christmas Eve celebration with your close friends and family. Try having a healthy spread of food and maybe even incorporate a gift exchange. These small traditions are the events that kids will hold dear in their hearts as they get older and will also create fun memories for the kids.

If you want a fun little idea for the kids to do during this Christmas Eve celebration, you can download this fun coloring page and activity sheet:

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Encourage Kids to Help at the Holidays

encourage kids to help at the holidaysWhile it is supposed to be a time of joy and cheer, sometimes the holidays can bring about a bit of stress and chaos among families. There is shopping, baking, and gift wrapping to be done so why not enlist some of our favorite little helpers to join in the fun? We recommend that you encourage kids to help at the holidays. The older kids can certainly help with some of the wrapping. Let them wrap their teacher gifts to make them even more special! They love to feel like they are contributing, so why not encourage kids to help at the holidays? Consider it a teaching moment tied into some good family bonding!

Make sure and download the coloring page for today to encourage kids to help at the holidays:

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