As summer comes to an end and back to school season is right around the corner, it’s important to establish healthy routines for children. Keep reading to learn about these four foundational parts of a healthy routine: choosing healthy after-school snacks, limiting screen time at night, encouraging exercise, and making sleep a priority.  

Additionally, keep reading to learn about how Medicaid, a government healthcare program, can play a role in supporting health and well-being of students this school year! 

Tips for a healthy routine: 

• Providing students with nutritious snacks is crucial for their energy and well-being after a full day of learning at school. Some healthy options include: fresh fruit and veggies with dip, crackers and nut butter, or yogurt with granola and berries. These options have a healthy balance of different nutrients that can help to keep children focused during school and energized.  Check out these healthy snack recipes for some new ideas! 
• Limit screen time at night to support a balanced sleep pattern for your student. Screen time at night can disrupt a natural sleep pattern and impact the health or energy of children. This back to school season, encourage your student to engage in alternative activities like reading, finding a new hobby, exercising, or spending time with friends. Read this article to learn more about recommendations on screen time for children from the American Academy of Pediatrics.   

• Getting some exercise after school has many benefits for a child, from physical health benefits to social well-being. Students can enroll in after-school programs with friends to play their favorite sport, or just visit the park or play outside to get active after a day in the classroom. Regular exercise supports physical and mental health, concentration, and cognitive function.  Here are 101 after-school activities for kids to give you some ideas.   

• Establishing a sleep routine and getting enough sleep will help to support your student during the school day by giving them enough energy. Setting a regular bedtime and wake up time and staying consistent with this is a great way to establish a routine. To wind down to bedtime, stick to a calming routine to help your student get to sleep quickly.  Learn more about promoting healthy sleeping habits by reading this article.   

Medicaid and its Impact on Students: 

Many students and families utilize Medicaid to access healthcare services. Medicaid provides coverage for preventative care, doctor’s office visits, vaccinations, mental health support, and more. Making sure that students have access to Medicaid if they need it supports their health, which in turn can set them up for academic success. Everyone with Medicaid will need to renew their coverage in the coming year. This did not happen the last three years. Insurance can be confusing, but free, unbiased help is available from Indiana Certified Navigators. Find a navigator near you at https://in-fssa.force.com/HCNav/. 

For any Medicaid questions, print resources, or more information, reach out directly to Elizabeth Sons, MHS School Based Service Administrator and Chair of the Indiana Healthy Schools Action Team, at Elizabeth.sons@mhsindiana.com.  

As you and your student prepare for back-to-school season, keep these tips in mind to establish healthy habits and hit the ground running for another great school year!