Back to School – Ideas for Parents

As summer closes, there is always a lot to do to get kids ready to go back to school. But parents can do things to get ready too. Research shows that schools with strong parent involvement have students who behave better, achieve better academically, and do better socially.

How Parents Can Get Involved

CDC developed Parents for Healthy Schools, a set of resources for parents, schools, and school organizations like the PTA and PTO, to help you create healthy school environments.  You’ll find specific ideas for how you can help schools give students more opportunities for healthy eating, physical activity, and services to help manage health conditions like asthma, diabetes, and food allergies.

Did You Know That Most Kids Get Half Their Calories at School?

That makes school a great place to foster healthy eating habits and behavior, and you can help.  Get ideas and more information here: School Nutrition Environment and Services pdf icon[PDF – 1.6 MB].

Keeping Kids Active at School is Important.

Kids in the United States spend six to eight hours a day at school. Having opportunities for physical activity during the school day is important because experts recommend children get 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Find out more about ways your child can stay active at school with this fact sheet on Physical Activity pdf icon[PDF – 1.6 MB].

School physical education programs help children develop motor skills, knowledge, and behaviors that help them stay physically active for their entire lifetime. And of course, physical education programs contribute to the one hour of physical activity kids should get each day. Learn more about how you can make a difference: Physical Education pdf icon[PDF – 2 MB].

1 in 4 Kids Ages 2-8 Have Health or Behavior/Learning Problems.

For these students, school health services can play a large role in daily and emergency care during the school day. Health services can reduce the number of days your child has to stay home from school and miss valuable instruction time. Read more about how you can get involved with this fact sheet on School Health Services pdf icon[PDF – 2.4 MB]. Listen to this podcast to learn more about the importance of school health services.

Tooth Decay (cavities) Is One Of The Most Common Chronic Conditions Of Childhood.

In the United States, children with oral health problems (cavities, gum disease) often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who have better oral health. Don’t forget to include a dental check-up in your back-to-school plans. Need to find a dentist? Use the Insure Kids Now Dentist Locator.external icon