Self-care for children and how to teach it through fun activities
February 05, 2023
While emphasising self-care as a way of improving mental health has become increasingly popular amongst teenagers and young adults, the importance of self-care has often been overlooked for school-aged children (6-12 years old). Parents are usually worried about their children being unable to take care of themselves, causing the potential risk of overbearing behaviour through adopting authoritarian parenting styles. This stems from a common but inaccurate belief that children are unable to make wise decisions, and therefore would need parental figures to provide proper guidance. Although this is certainly true sometimes, Hyman and colleagues (1985) showed that children who learned how to take care of themselves starting at a young age would not bring any negative consequences, but may instead facilitate healthier emotional and physical development.
This should not surprise us – self-care is important for children to learn as it helps them become more introspective and aware of their physical and emotional needs, prepares them to handle future stressors, and promotes wellness of the body and mind. Practising self-care can help kids identify their physical and emotional needs, take care of those needs, and prepare themselves for stressful emotions.
There are many interactive ways for parents to introduce children to self-care. Here are a few examples of fun activities for parents and children to do together or separately:
This is a great way for kids to practice writing, but also it can help children learn to organise their thoughts and express their feelings. It can also be a good way for them to develop their imagination, vocabulary, and creativity. Here are some prompts to engage your kids.
This can include drawing, painting, sculpture, and collage. These activities can help children develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, as well as encourage self-expression and imagination. It is important to provide children with age-appropriate materials and give them the freedom to explore and create on their own. Encourage them to experiment with different art supplies and techniques to engage their creativity.
This can be a tricky one; when cooking with children, it’s important to choose age-appropriate recipes and tasks for them to complete. For example, younger children can help with measuring ingredients, mixing, and decorating. This can teach them about healthy eating and nutrition, alongside building interest in seeing how food comes onto a plate.
this is important for children as it helps to promote overall health and well-being. Regular physical activity can help to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility, as well as aid in the development of healthy bones and joints. Additionally, regular exercise can help children to maintain a healthy weight, improve their self-esteem and mood, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Some examples of physical activities for children include team sports, swimming, dancing, cycling, and playing outside. It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
Overall, it is reminded that self-care activities should be age-appropriate. Parents or caregivers should also model self-care behaviours to children before letting them do it alone. This may take a bit of experimentation, trial, and error, but ultimately it can help children become more resilient, confident, and self-sufficient individuals.