When you think about throwing a kid’s birthday party, the first things that come to mind are probably pizza, soda pop, birthday cake and countless other unhealthy snacks. Moreover, unhealthy activity- or rather, lack thereof- reigns at your average child birthday party, with the latest video game blasting away on the TV. But your child’s party doesn’t have to mean sugar highs and activity lows.
Healthy Snacks
Just because you don’t have a party full of sugary snacks and soda doesn’t mean your kid’s party can’t be a smash hit. Healthy snacks can be just as- if not more- tasty than some of those artificial excuses for food. A solid go-to is always ‘ants-on-a-log.’ Never a disappointment, it combines two of kids’ favorite foods; raisins and peanut butter. For extra points, use all natural peanut butter. Kids also love fruit, like pineapple and oranges. So skip the tooth-decaying, artificially-flavored treats and go with something that won’t leave you with hyperactive tweens running all over your house.
Encourage Activity
One way to get any kid moving is to introduce them to a bounce house. Any child’s immediate reaction when they see a bounce house is to kick off their shoes, run toward it at full speed and jump for hours with their friends. Even if your party is secluded indoors because of inclement weather or it’s just the cold season, there are plenty of activities you could set up, such as a day out to a local ski resort or an indoor golf range. So put the PlayStation on the shelf and let your child and their friends burn some calories.
Childhood obesity is an epidemic in our country today. Unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle are predisposing our children to a lifetime of health issues and lifelong illness. As a matter of fact, for the first time in modern history, American children actually have a shorter life expectancy than that of their parents. Changing all this starts what they eat and their level of activity, no matter if it’s a ‘special occasion’ or not.