The definition of a habit is “an acquired behavior or pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.”1 Children learn to form habits from very early ages; studies have found that most habits take root in children before age 9.2 Unfortunately, habits are hard to break once established. So we must start teaching our kids good habits from the very start.
Important Habits to Teach Your Kids From a Very Young Age
These simple, age-appropriate habits can help your child build a strong foundation for a healthy, happy, and responsible life.
1. Hygiene
Washing hands, brushing teeth, sneezing into your elbow . . . these are all healthy hygiene habits we can start teaching our kids early. Keeping yourself clean is a habit that will go a long way, especially as your kid becomes a teenager and starts to smell funny and grow hair in weird places. If they’re already wired to groom themselves appropriately, perhaps they won’t look (and smell) like Neanderthals in a few years (here’s hoping!).
2. Exercise
These days, our kids are far more sedentary than they were in prior generations, with television, computers, video games, and smartphones taking center stage in their lives. It’s never been more important that our kids get plenty of physical activity in their days. Whether it’s a nightly walk around the block or an afternoon spent at the playground, getting daily exercise is a habit they need to start now.
3. Healthy Food Choices
As much as we would love to give our kids delicious, healthy, whole food every day, there will come a time when we won’t be around to help them make healthy food choices. Teaching them what healthy foods are and why choosing them is important will help them make those same good choices later in life. In my house, we call it “grow food” because healthy food makes your body grow big and strong.
4. Tidying
When kids are little, messes are made, and mom usually cleans them up. But as they grow, teaching them how to put away their toys and clean up their room regularly is important. My kids still struggle with this, so I have started a “mommy jail.” This means any toys left where they don’t belong will go to mommy jail, and my child has to earn that toy back. The threat of a toy going to mommy jail is enough to get my kids cleaning up after themselves (mom win!).
5. Spend, Save, Give
Financial responsibility starts early, and it’s up to us as parents to teach it. Begin by helping your child earn money through small chores or tasks, then show them how to manage it wisely. Set up three jars labeled spend, save, and give to help them learn how to budget, set goals, and give back. Watching their money grow and how their choices make a difference teaches lifelong lessons about planning, generosity, and patience.
Related: Why It’s Important to Teach Kids About Money
6. Thankfulness
It’s natural for young children to think the world revolves around them, but as they grow, it’s important to help them recognize and appreciate what they have. Teach your child that gifts and privileges aren’t guaranteed, and that gratitude makes life richer. Model thankfulness in your own actions, and encourage your child to say “please” and “thank you,” write thank-you notes, and express appreciation for everyday things like a home-cooked meal or a kind gesture.
7. Importance of Rest
This is a hard one to continue teaching as kids drop their naps. However, I firmly believe that quiet time, even after nap time, has become a thing of the past. My kids are now at the point where they won’t nap, but I insist they have “quiet time” or “rest time” in their rooms daily. This gives them time to learn to play happily on their own while I get stuff done. It also teaches them that rest is just as important as working hard. This is a lesson I think we, as adults, should probably re-learn, too!
8. Importance of Family
In my house, nothing is more important than family. I want my children to understand that they are more important than my job, hobbies, and other things taking up space in my life. I want them to feel how important they are to me. I also want to teach them that putting their family first in their lives is important, even if it’s hard (because, let’s face it, loving our family can sometimes be challenging!).
9. Safety
This one is hugely important and worth the time and effort it may take to help these habits sink in. From teaching kids how to look both ways before crossing the street to not talking to (or going with) strangers, keeping safe, and making safe choices can be one of the most important habits you can instill in your child.
Related: Safety Rules Every Child Should Know
10. Learning
I think it’s important to encourage learning in our children. If you think about it, no matter how old we get, we never stop learning. A child constantly processes new information, whether learning from a book, an experience, or a conversation. Teaching our children to recognize what they’ve learned daily and appreciate the opportunities to learn in new situations is a skill that will serve them well as they get older and start becoming more independent in action and thought.
Teaching our kids good and healthy habits while they’re young is one of the greatest gifts we, as their parents, can give them. Presenting habits can take a lot of time and effort on our part. Once the habit has taken root, it will be hard to break. But, the end reward for our efforts will be so worth it . . . for us and our kiddos!
The habits we help our kids build today shape who they’ll become tomorrow, and that’s one of the best parts of parenting.
