Healthy Habits Preschool Lesson Plan | Fun Activities & Teaching Guide

Teaching preschoolers about healthy habits is crucial for their growth and good health. In this engaging preschool lesson plan on healthy habits, kids are taught about the importance of hygiene, healthy food, exercise, and timely sleep through games, interactive sessions, and hands-on activities. Perfect for daycare workers, parents, and teachers, this material offers easy-to-follow instructions, printable worksheets, and enjoyable games to make young kids playfully learn about health.

Lesson Plan: Healthy Habits

Age Group: 3-5 years
Duration: 30-40 minutes
Theme: Developing healthy habits for a happy life

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the importance of good habits on a day-to-day basis.
2. Recognize good habits such as handwashing and brushing teeth.
3. Recognize good eating habits.
4. Learn how exercise and sleeping have benefits to the body.
5. Gain an idea about the harm caused by poor habits.
6. Compel children to implement good habits daily.

Materials Needed:

1. Picture cards of healthy habits (brushing teeth, washing hands, eating fruits/vegetables, sleeping, exercising, etc.)
2. Toothbrush and toothpaste (for demonstration)
3. Handwashing station (or bowl with water, soap, and towel)
4. Healthy and unhealthy food chart
5. Music for a physical activity
6. Storybook of health and hygiene
7. Coloring sheets of healthy habits
8. Stickers or small incentives for attending

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction (5-7 minutes)

• Put kids in a circle and ask, “What do we do daily to stay healthy?”
• Hold up picture cards of healthy habits and ask, “Recognize each of these.”
• Set up the theme: “Today, we are going to learn about habits that keep us strong and happy!”
• Read a brief story about a character with healthy habits.

Interactive Discussion (10 minutes)

• Hygiene: Show children how to wash their hands properly and brush their teeth using actual objects or pictures. Ask, “Why do we brush our teeth every day?”
• Healthy Eating: Display pictures of food and ask children to pick the healthy ones. Describe the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise & Sleep: Talk about exercise and sleep requirements. Ask, “Why do we need to sleep? What happens when we run and play?”
• Unhealthy Habits: Discuss briefly what happens when we fail to use healthy habits (e.g., cavities due to not brushing, tiredness due to not sleeping enough).

Activities (15 minutes)

• Handwashing Practice: Show and have kids practice proper handwashing.
• Sorting Game: Provide a collection of food pictures and ask kids to sort them into “Healthy” and “Not Healthy” groups.
• Exercise Fun: Put on music and have kids get moving (jumping, stretching, dancing).
• Healthy Habits Coloring: Provide coloring pages with pictures of brushing teeth, exercising, and healthy eating.

Wrap-up and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Ask, “What healthy habits will you do at home?”
• Repeat important messages: “Wash your hands, brush your teeth, eat good food, move your body, and sleep well!”
• Reward all the children with a “Healthy Star” sticker for attendance.

Assessment:

• Observe students during activities (Are they washing hands properly? Choosing nutritious foods?)
• Ask simple questions: “Why do we brush our teeth? What if we don’t have enough sleep?”
• Ask children to act out one healthy habit they learned.

Extension Activity:

• Send home a Healthy Habits Chart for children to track brushing, hand washing, and eating fruit/vegetables for a week.
• Encourage parents to discuss healthy habits at home.
• Plan a “Healthy Habits Day” when children can bring in a healthy snack and share what they have learned.

Additional Notes for Teachers:

• Be patient and provide positive reinforcement for involvement.
• Utilize a song or rhyme to make learning fun (e.g., a hand-washing song).
• Make activities fun and hands-on to keep children interested.
• Offer positive feedback and small rewards to motivate children.

Free Download: Preschool Lesson Plan