Teachers who role model healthy behaviors in their classrooms can have an enormous impact on choices children make related to healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Children are more likely to embrace and adopt habits if they see adults in their lives demonstrate these same healthy behaviors. Modeling healthy behaviors expands direct education to influence individuals’ behavior.

Healthy Behavior Suggestions:

• Create a “healthy behaviors” section on the classroom bulletin board. Enter your healthy behavior along with the students to continue to motivate each other to make healthy behavior changes.
• Lead and participate in active play in the classroom throughout the school day.
• Walk during recess and before lunch time with students.
  • Schools that schedule recess before lunch report that students eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more milk, waste less food and are better behaved in the lunchroom and in the classroom.
• Make employee wellness a school priority.
• Encourage development of a classroom walking club; teachers, students and classroom volunteers can all track how far they walk every day.