Sleep at least 10 hours a night. A bedtime schedule and routine can help kids get the sleep they need!

No more than 2 hours per day of screen time. That includes TV, DVDs, videos and movies, or playing games on a TV, computer, or handheld device. It's not time doing homework on a computer.

Get at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. If 1 hour feels like a lot now, help your child start slowly and build up!

Drink water. Have 0 sugary drinks. Have water when thirsty, with meals, or any time!

Work together, pick a goal, offer encouragement. You can do it!

10-2-1-0 Goals for STAR Kids

The amount and quality of sleep affects a child’s mood,

behavior, and learning.

Better quality and longer sleep is associated with better school performance.

Recent studies link not getting enough sleep to a higher risk of obesity.

When we get the right amount of sleep, the brain helps us to control hunger and achieve a healthy weight.

Children need sleep for optimal brain functioning.

Sleep allows the brain to recharge and process information learned during the day. Sleep is especially important for children’s memory, ability to pay attention, and learning.

Children ages 6-12

should sleep

10-11 hours per night*

* Recommendation of the National Sleep Foundation

STAR kids need sleep!

Department of Pediatrics Division of General Academic Pediatrics MassGeneral Hospital for Children

How can I help my child get the sleep s/he needs?

Set and maintain bedtime routines. A bedtime routine prepares your child for sleep Try to have bedtime be the same time each night Turn the TV off an hour before bedtime to make for an easier transition to sleep

Make the room where your child sleeps comfortable. Put in a nightlight if your child needs light Use dark curtains or shades to keep light out Keep it cool and quiet. Soft music or a fan can offer background noise, if needed Cozy blankets and pillows can make for better sleep

Avoid caffeine and sugar. Drinking caffeinated and sugary drinks can make it difficult to sleep

Keep TV and all screen media (computers, iPads, video games) out of the room where your child sleeps.

TV is stimulating and can disrupt sleep, making it harder to fall asleep Use a nightlight or quiet music to help your child fall asleep

Children ages 6-12

should sleep

10-11 hours per night

In general, kids who spend less time in front of the TV...

Do better in school

Read more

Sleep better

Eat healthier foods

Weigh less

See less violence

Watch less, and play more! Kids need at least 1 hour

of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

What is “screen time”? Screen time is time spent watching TV, DVDs, videos and movies, or playing games on a TV, computer, or handheld device. It does not include time doing homework on a computer.

STAR kids limit screen time!

Keep TV and

other screen time

to less than 2 hours a day.

Watch less, and play more! Kids need at least 1 hour of physical activity every day.

“How do I keep my child’s

screen time to less than

2 hours a day?”

Set limits. Let your child watch TV, but limit it to less than 2 hours.

Keep the room where your child sleeps TV-free.

Plan what to watch. Use program guides and TV ratings to help your child pick what to watch.

Turn the TV on to watch the program, and turn it off when show is over.

Keep meals TV-free. Use mealtime as a time to talk to one another about the day.

Avoid ads. Most advertising to children is for unhealthy foods.

Watch videos and DVDs instead of TV to avoid ads and cut down on time.

Think of other options. Watching TV can be a habit. Help your child make a list of other things to do.

Encourage your child to play outside and be active whenever possible.

Keep TVs out of bedrooms. Kids who have TVs in their rooms tend to see more violent and adult

content, more junk food ads, have more sleep problems, and watch much more TV.

Lead the way. Seeing you cut back your own TV time will help your child do it too.

Kids need at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

What is “moderate to vigorous”?

During moderate activity, you can talk but not sing. In vigorous activity, you can say a few words, then need a breath.

Why is it so important? Regular physical activity helps kids:

Sleep Learn Control their weight

Develop healthy habits while they’re young

STAR kids in motion!

There are 1,440

minutes in a day.

Help your child plan to be

active for at least 60 of them.

Make physical activity a part of every day. If 60 minutes sounds like a lot right now, help your child start slowly and build up.

Make it routine. Make a plan for physical activity. What to do, when to do it. Days often go by quickly, and if you don’t have a plan, it likely won’t happen.

Work with your child to figure out what s/he would like to do.

For programs and classes, ask what your child’s school offers after school. You can also check your local community center, YMCA, town recreation department, Boys & Girls Club, college, dance studio, or gym.

Make physical activity family time. Take a walk together after dinner, play ball, or shoot hoops. It can be a nice time to talk.

Swap some TV time for active time.

Offer lots of encouragement.

Be an active role model and show your child how you make the time for physical activity.

Encourage active transport. Help your child add physical activity to everyday life by walking or biking to school, a friend’s house, or the store, when possible. Too far? Park further away or get off the bus or T early to get in a little walk.

Kids need at least 1 hour

of moderate to vigorous

physical activity every day.

Soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juice usually have lots of sugar and sometimes caffeine. Even 100% juice has a lot of sugar! Regularly drinking sugary drinks may cause cavities and excess weight gain.

Kids should drink water when they’re thirsty, and water or low-fat milk (skim or 1%) with meals.

What about diet drinks? Artificial sweeteners get kids to expect foods and drinks to be sweet. And since their long-term safety is not fully understood, it is best to avoid them.

My child is very active, so I give her sports drinks. Sports drinks are helpful only for high intensity activity that lasts longer than 1 hour. For normal play, a healthy snack with water is a better way to refuel.

Drink water.

Have 0 sugary drinks.

Think of sugary drinks as a treat, not something to drink every day.

Healthy Drinks for STAR kids!

Drink 0 sugary drinks.

Water is cool. It is good for

every body, every day.

Start with setting certain days for just water or lowfat milk at meals. Then gradually add to the number of days per week you do this.

Buy a fun reusable water bottle for your child to take to school, camp, everywhere! Let your child pick one out that s/he likes and will want to use.

Always offer water or lowfat milk with meals and snacks. These are both good choices for your child to decide between.

Be a healthy drinks role model for your child. Your child follows your lead, so try to pick water and non-sugary drinks for yourself too!

Make water fun. Add color and texture to a pitcher or glass of water with straws, ice, lemon or orange slices.

Talk with your child about the choices s/he makes while at school and afterschool. Find out what drinks are available at school, in the cafeteria and in vending machines.

Healthy Drinks: Add it up!

The savings can add up if your family stops buying drinks and starts drinking water from home.

Unit Price Monthly cost

Iced tea (1 gallon/week) $3.59 $14.36 Soda (1 can/day )

$1.00 $30.00

Sports drink (16.9oz bottle/weekend)

$2.00 $8.00

Fruit Juice drink (64oz of 15% fruit juice/week)

$2.79 $11.16

Total Savings each year: $762.24 and 11,700 tsp of sugar!

Drink water, not sugar. Compare these drinks to see how many teaspoons of sugar they have in a common serving.

Which one will you choose? = 1 teaspoon = 4 grams of sugar

20 oz bottle

of Gatorade

5.5 tsp

12 oz can

of soda

8oz glass of

orange juice

16 oz bottle

of iced tea

14 tsp 16 oz bottle of

chocolate milk

6.75 oz juice box (100% juice)

8oz glass

of water 0 tsp

9.75 tsp

5.5 tsp

8.75 tsp

10.5 tsp

=

=

=

=

=

=

=

Limit fast food to less

than once a week. Serve your child healthy foods

at home as much as possible.

Fast food facts: Fast food restaurants prepare on-the-go meals in less than 10 minutes,

like McDonald’s, Subway, KFC, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Most fast food is high in unhealthy fats, calories, sugar, and salt.

Eating too much fast food can lead to health problems like excess weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Plan ahead to help limit fast food to a few times a month at most. Pack healthy meals if you and your family have to eat on the go.

Make extra when you cook to have leftovers to eat if you’re in a hurry.

Always have frozen vegetables around to add to quick, healthy meals.

Food prepared at home is almost always healthier and costs less than food you eat out.

If fast food is a regular part of your family’s diet, cut back on the number of times per month you eat it.

Make mealtime family time. Keep the TV off while you eat.

Eat and prepare healthy meals for yourself, too.

Healthy meals for STAR kids!

Healthy snacking for STAR kids!

Swap 1 high calorie snack a day for fruit or veggies.

Why is eating fruits and vegetables so important? Fruits and vegetables are loaded with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your child

needs to stay healthy and have energy.

How can I get my child to eat more fruits and vegetables? Plan ahead. Always keep fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables around

to include in meals.

Put washed and peeled fruits and vegetables where your child can see and reach them. Keep cut up vegetables, peeled and cut oranges, grapes, and other fruits in small plastic bags in your refrigerator for easy snacking.

Involve your child. Let your child pick out fruits and vegetables at the store or decide which to have

with a meal or for a snack.

Add fruits and vegetables to your child’s favorite foods.

Have vegetables as a pizza topping Put sliced bananas or other fruit on top of cereal Add frozen vegetables to pasta sauce Put tomato slices inside cheese quesadillas Add carrot “coins” to noodle soup Blend frozen fruit with lowfat milk to make smoothies

Offer fruits and vegetables at all meals and snacks.