They say time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s often the case with the summer holidays for children and parents alike.
September will be upon us before we know it, and whether your child is starting school for the first time or returning for another year, it’s important they’re well prepared for the new term.
While it’s essential to take some time out, and really enjoy the summer break, there are a number of simple things you can do to get your little ones back in the right frame of mind for the classroom.
From keeping their brains stimulated to getting active outdoors, here are six easy ways to prepare your child for heading back to school.
September will be upon us before we know it, and whether your child is starting school for the first time or returning for another year, it’s important they’re well prepared for the new term
Enjoy the great outdoors
Us Brits spend enough time cooped up inside during the winter months, so it’s good for us, both mentally and physically, to get outdoors and make the most of the summer weather.
A great option for all the family is Boots Kids Bone Health Vitamin D 30 Gummies
Sunlight is a natural mood booster and a great source of natural vitamin D – which is where it gets its nickname the ‘sunshine vitamin’.
As well as helping the body to absorb calcium, which helps keep teeth and bones strong and healthy, vitamin D also plays a role in the immune system.
During the spring and summer months it’s generally easier to get the dose of vitamin D we need thanks to exposure to more sunlight, combined with a healthy, balanced diet.
But as we get into autumn and winter, the NHS[1] advises adults and children aged over five take a daily food supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D. It also recommends that children aged from one to four years old take one daily all year round.
A great option for all the family is Boots Kids Bone Health Vitamin D 30 Gummies* (£4). These tasty orange-flavoured chewable gummies also contain vitamins B6 and B12 to support a healthy immune system.
Get active
During the school holidays it can be tempting to let your child spend more time playing computer games or watching TV.
But while those activities are fine in moderation, it’s important they get enough exercise – at least an hour a day of moderate to physical activity for children over five, while under fives should be encouraged to take part in a range of active play for 180 minutes a day[2].
Keeping physically fit and active, as well as eating a balanced diet, is one of the best ways to stave off childhood obesity, which can lead to serious health issues further down the line such as diabetes and heart problems[2].
Keeping physically fit and active, as well as eating a balanced diet, is one of the best ways to stave off childhood obesity
As well as the many health benefits, it’s also a great opportunity for you to spend some quality time with your children (and get fit at the same time!).
Making it a fun activity – be it a kickaround in the park, a gentle and short trail run, or an obstacle course in the garden – will help instill healthy habits that your kids can carry forward into later life.
Exercise builds strength and endurance as well as helping to make bones and muscles strong. To help support normal growth and development of bones in children, you can also give your child a Wellkid Immune Chewable (4-12 years), available at Boots and is part of its three-for-two offer on selected vitamins.
These natural orange and lemon flavour tablets, which provide a range of vitamins and minerals, also contain botanical ingredients including citrus bioflavonoids, natural carotenoids, vegetarian flaxseed oil. They also contain zinc, which contributes to normal immune system function, and vitamin D, which is needed for normal growth and development of bone in children.
If you’re at all concerned about your child’s weight, or think they may be at risk of being overweight, consider visiting your local GP.
Support their immunity
As children head back to the classroom this September amid concern about a third wave of Covid-19 in the UK, maintaining a strong immune system throughout the school year seems more important than ever.
For an extra helping hand, head to your local Boots and pick up a packet of Boots Good Gut Live Friendly Bacteria Kids 30 Chewable Tablets
Believe it or not, working to create a healthy gut and digestive system – which is full of trillions of bacteria that are essential for our health – is a good place to start.
The best way to do this is by eating a wide range of fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water – not always easy if you’ve got a fussy teenager on your hands!
For an extra helping hand, head to your local Boots and pick up a packet of Boots Good Gut Live Friendly Bacteria Kids 30 Chewable Tablets (£10).
Suitable for children over the age of four, each tasty strawberry-flavoured tablet contains a portion of biotic cultures as well as a daily top up of vitamin C to help support your little one’s immune system all year round.
Another option is Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies (£10.50 for 30).
Keep their brains stimulated
After a particularly challenging year, school children across the country feel they have earned a well-deserved break to relax and re-energise.
But it’s still important to keep their minds stimulated to avoid the dreaded ‘summer brain drain’.
Now we’re not talking about ordering them to do hours of homework every day – it’s more about continuing to practise skills and engage in learning opportunities so that they don’t start off the new school year on the back foot.
A fun and easy activity to do with young kids and teenagers alike is reading. Not only is it a valuable skill for their literacy and academic performance, it’s also a powerful tool for relaxation, and helps to establish a connection between parent and child. It’s also a great way to keep them occupied that doesn’t involve a flickering screen!
For older children who are reluctant to read, find them a book written by or about a hero of theirs, be it an influencer, a celebrity or an explorer. Taking them to the book shop and offering to buy them one book is a good way to tempt them to read.
After a particularly challenging year, school children across the country will feel they have earned a well-deserved break to relax and re-energise. But it’s still important to keep their minds stimulated
The school holidays are also a good opportunity for your children to discover and pursue new pursuits they might not have tried before. For the last week or so, why not enroll them into a craft workshop, encourage them to start writing a daily blog, let them take charge of cooking dinner, or ask them to help you out in the garden?
On a rainy day, board games are a fun and offline way of keeping your children’s minds engaged while simultaneously bringing the whole family together.
Ensure they’re eating a balanced diet
While you may not always know what they’re having for lunch or snacking on at school, the holidays provide a chance to establish healthy eating habits that your children can continue into the next academic year.
If you’re concerned your child isn’t eating enough fruit and vegetables, it’s time to get creative. Why not try rustling up a juicy smoothie, or coming up with a healthy – but tasty – recipe that you can cook together?
Haliborange Softies Multivitamins are suitable for youngsters aged three to 12
In addition, you could consider a supplement; Haliborange Softies Multivitamins (£9.50 for 60) are suitable for youngsters aged three to 12 and are a tasty way for them to get some essential vitamins that they need every day.
In fact, the NHS recommends all children from six months to five years take supplements in the form of vitamins A, C and D[4].
Boots has a wide range of supplements to choose from which are free from lactose, artificial flavours, colours and preservatives, including Boots Kids Daily Health Multivitamins Strawberry Flavour (£4.49 for 30)*.
For older children, it offers Boots Teen Multivitamin + Omega 3 Gummies in a tasty blackcurrant flavour. As an alternative to tablets, you can pick up a bottle of WellKid Multivitamin Liquid (£6.99 for 150ml) for children aged four to 12 years.
Get them into a routine
As the beginning of a new school year dawns, getting your child back into a routine is likely to help promote a smoother transition.
While they might have enjoyed a few late nights during the holidays, it’s important young people get enough sleep, as not doing so can have a negative effect on the immune system[5].
While they might have enjoyed a few late nights during the holidays, it’s important young people get enough sleep, as not doing so can have a negative effect on the immune system
This is because a lack of sleep can cause the body to produce the stress-response hormone cortisol, which can weaken the body’s immune system.
The NHS recommends a five-year-old needs about 11 hours of sleep a night, while a nine-year-old needs roughly 10[6].
A regular bedtime ritual can help your child better prepare for sleep, both mentally and physically. A warm bath with soothing music and a bedtime story may help them to relax and drift off.
Try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime, as tablets, smartphones and TVs can affect how easily children get to sleep[6]. These devices emit blue light which restrains the production of melatonin, a natural hormone released in the evening that controls your sleep-wake cycle (also known as your circadian rhythm)[7].
To view the full 3 for 2 range on selected vitamins, supplements, health foods and complimentary medicines at Boots, click here.
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/
[2] https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/childrens-health/obesity-children#:~:text=How%20many%20children%20are%20obese,aged%2010%20to%2011%20were.
[3] https://sambucol.co.uk/sambucol-science/
[4] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/vitamins-for-children/#:~:text=The%20government%20recommends%20all%20children,not%20be%20given%20vitamin%20supplements.
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/
[6] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/healthy-sleep-tips-for-children/
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5703049/
* Suitable for children aged three years and older.
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