One of the easiest and most effective methods for promoting healthy habits is creating and hanging simple reminder posters in appropriate areas. Children are often forgetful and will overlook basic hygiene steps not out of laziness, but because the habit has not been fully formed. Post hand-washing reminders in the bathroom, healthy eating tips in the cafeteria and ask teachers to post a list of cleanliness tips in each classroom. Each time a student is reminded to perform a healthy task, your overall school health goes up.
The topic of health is very broad and there are many aspects to living a healthy lifestyle. If your school has the resources, a small health fair is an excellent method for inspiring healthy choices in your students. Ask local health professionals to come out and talk about what they do, provide health-themed games for kids, pack goodie bags with hygienic products like floss and toothbrushes and bring the parents in on the fun to ensure healthy habits make it home from school.
Before students can make washing their hands a part of their daily routine, they will need to know why this action is so important. Encourage each of your teachers to spend a few hours each semester talking to kids about personal hygiene. Teachers can explain the existence of germs, talk about how germs make people sick and demonstrate simple methods for avoiding germs and getting rid of the bacteria you pick up over the course of an average day.
If you cannot afford a fair or do not have the time to put one together, finding a guest speaker to talk to specific classrooms is another strong way to promote health. Find a dentist with a day to spare who can come talk to kids about oral hygiene or a doctor who can talk about physical fitness and dietary requirements. Kids will be more likely to listen to a professional and a guest speaker is an exciting event that breaks up the monotony of the school day.
One of the most important parts of personal health is monitoring the food that you consume. If left to their own devices, children would likely eat a diet comprised mostly of soda and candy, so it is important to start building healthy eating habits early. Conduct lessons on how to create balanced meals, talk to students about healthy snack substitutes like fruits and veggies and have each student create a food diary so he can learn the basics of tracking food intake. Planting a vegetable garden is another community project that teaches kids about healthy food.