How Kids and Teens Can Keep Their Bodies Healthy

Good health is important for a happy life. When you have a healthy body, you can participate in fun activities like playing baseball, riding a bike, and swimming in the ocean. If you want to know how to keep your body healthy, you are in the right place. This page contains fascinating facts about the human body and a number of resources that will help you learn more about health.

One of the most important ways for kids to take care of their health is to practice good hygiene. We pick up germs by touching doorknobs, handrails, and other objects. It is important to wash these germs off of the hands before eating and drinking. Getting good nutrition is also important, as the body requires vitamins and minerals to function normally. Regular exercise is another good way to maintain good health. Playing tennis or walking the dog can help you stay fit and active.

Resisting peer pressure is also important for good health. When someone asks you to drink alcohol or take drugs, stand up to that person and say “no.” It is your body and you are responsible for making good decisions. No one else has a right to tell you what to do with your body. Alcohol and drugs cause serious effects, especially when consumed by children and teens. Alcohol and drug abuse can contribute to diseases and cause people to change their behavior.

Knowing how to avoid harm is also important. Do you know how to deal with strangers or stay safe online? How about getting out of a fire safely? Learning about important safety procedures can help you stay safe during natural disasters, fires, medical emergencies, and other scary situations. Having a positive attitude is also essential for a healthy life. Learning how to relieve stress is just one of the ways to keep a healthy mind.

Learn more about your health by following the links below.

Functions of the Body

• All About How the Body Works: This interactive page helps kids understand how all of the body parts work together.
• A Look Inside the Human Body Systems: This page has information about the respiratory, skeletal, digestive, and circulatory systems.
• A Virtual Tour of the Body: This interactive resource allows students to explore the brain, heart, digestive tract, and skeleton.
• Puberty: Brain Changes, Strange Changes: This article explains what happens during puberty.

Practicing Good Hygiene

• A Guide to Brushing the Teeth: This page explains how to brush the teeth properly.
• Hand Hygiene Quiz: This quiz helps students determine how much they know about hand washing.
• Fighting Germs with Hand Washing: This guide answers some of the most common questions about hand washing.
• Hygiene Tips for Controlling Body Odor: This tip sheet is for teens who want to learn how to control body odor.
• Teen Hygiene Tips: This article offers practical tips for teens who want to take charge of their hygiene.

Making Healthy Food Choices

• Nutrition Expedition Games: This page has several fun games to help kids learn about nutrition and healthy food.
• My Plate Match Game: This game is designed to help kids learn about the five food groups.
• Nutrition and Healthy Eating: This page lists the major food groups and explains how often you should eat each type of food.
• Food Science: This resource offers information about the five food groups, drinking enough fluid, and improving your diet.
• Food Activity Sheet (PDF): This activity sheet helps students ages 7 to 11 learn more about healthy foods.

Getting Fit and Healthy

• Benefits of Exercise for Children: This page explains how exercise benefits children.
• Exercise to Build Healthy Bones (PDF): This resource explains how regular exercise helps make the bones stronger.
• Exercise for Children with Arthritis and Enthesitis: This article describes several exercises that may help children with problems of the joints and tendons.
• Body Mass Index Calculator: This tool is designed to help children and teens calculate their BMIs.
• Finding a Healthy Weight: This article offers tips to help teens lose weight in a safe manner.
• Food and Weight Handbook: This resource offers articles, videos, and tools to help kids learn about nutrition and weight.

Alcohol and Drugs

• What You Should Know About Drugs and Alcohol: This resource explains the negative effects of alcohol and illicit drugs.
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education: This site has information about drug and alcohol abuse.
• Resisting Peer Pressure: This resource offers tips on resisting peer pressure to drink, take drugs, and do other harmful activities.
• The Effects of Alcohol on the Brain: This page explains what alcohol does to the brain.
• Tobacco News and Games: This resource from Kids Against Tobacco Smoke offers information about the dangers of tobacco.

All About Health

• Information About Diabetes for Teens: This resource offers information about preventing diabetes and treating diabetes if it develops.
• Fighting Obesity: This page defines obesity and explains how to prevent it.
• Information About Chickenpox: This article explains what chickenpox is and describes the treatment options.
• All About Pink Eye: This page explains the causes and symptoms of pink eye. It also lists the treatment options.
• Information About Head Lice for Kids: This site has animations, games, and information to help kids learn about head lice.
• Safety Fact Sheets: This resource offers several safety-related fact sheets that contain tips on preventing injuries.

Staying Safe

• Learn About Online Safety: This resource has activities designed to teach kids about online safety.
• Child and Stranger Safety Tips: This page contains important information about avoiding “stranger danger.”
• Home Alone Safety Tips: This resource offer tips to help kids stay safe if they are home alone.
• USFA for Kids: This page links to information about fire safety for children.
• Kids and Bicycle Safety: This page contains safe riding tips to help kids avoid bicycling accidents.
• Preventing and Stopping Bullying: This resource has information about the serious issue of bullying.

Good Mental Health

• Mental Health for Young People: This resource has links to information about mental health problems and treatment options.
• Depression Screening Test: This test is a resource intended to help people determine if they need professional help for depression.
• All About Separation Anxiety Disorder: This article lists the signs and symptoms of separation anxiety disorder. It also discusses some of the treatment options.