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4:00 AM 28th August 2021
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Heart Research UK Healthy Tip: Keeping Children Healthy In School Holidays

 
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

According to Government Guidelines, children aged between 2-18 should aim to be active for at least 1 hour each day. However, keeping active during the school holidays can be a challenge. Outside of their normal school routine, children may find themselves less active than usual, which can reduce fitness and contribute to an increase in bodyweight.

Here are some tips for helping to maintain healthy habits across the summer break to keep children active and engaged with activities that benefit their heart.

Make a Plan

Creating structure helps to form habits. Pick a day of the week to plan for the following six days of activities and try at least one new thing each week. This will help create variation from day to day and help children stay engaged throughout the summer break.

Keep Active

Only 20-23% of children meet the physical activity guidelines of one hour per day. Try to encourage children to exercise daily through exciting activity programmes such as Train Like A Jedi, to help then to stay healthier and fitter.

Get Cooking

Baking and cooking create a chance for children to explore new foods and learn new skills. You may like to try making some of the heart-healthy recipes, or download the Heart Research UK cookbook for some inspiration.

Eat Out Less

Try limiting meals out to once per week and make your own ‘fakeaway’ by finding a recipe for your favourite takeaway dish right in your kitchen!

Heart Research UK
Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.


For more healthy tips, recipes and advice, visit heartresearch.org.uk