Good health habits

Good health habits help children to grow, learn in such a way that they are healthy, strong and safe.  At Swan Academy, we work in a very simple and clear way to promote the children's health and wellbeing all day long.

1. Handwashing & Personal Hygiene

Handwashing is our top and most highly practiced hygiene procedure. Children wash their hands: 

• upon arrival

• before and after eating

• after using the toilet

• after nose blowing

• after outdoor activities

• after participating in messy activities

The educators demonstrate the right handwashing technique and use children’s language like “Germs are our enemies and we kill them by washing hands.” In my placement, I always see the educators very often helping the children get the handwashing skill right and assisting the younger ones in turning the taps on and off. This way we are introducing a fun activity for children to wash their hands and they can enjoy washing hands later turning this into a habit (Australian Government Department of Health, 2025). Additionally, children are also taught to cover their sneezes with the elbow, use tissue or handkerchief while coughing, and to dispose of the used tissues immediately. This sets the foundation of healthy habits in children.

2. Cleaning & Infection Control

Cleaning is the principle method through which we maintain our learning rooms:

• We do the wiping and disinfecting of tables

• We frequently clean bathrooms

• We wash bedding at regular intervals

• We sanitize toys

• We disinfect shared areas like door handles and light switches

If a child feels unwell with fever, cold etc,  the family of the child is contacted so that the child can stay at home and recover. This measure helps in the proper recovery of the child as well as the prevention of the transmission of the illness to other children  and staff (Australian Government Department of Health, 2025).

3.  Managing Allergies & Medical Conditions

Separate individual plans are needed for children with asthma, or allergies or other medical conditions which should be prepared together with their families. Medications like puffers and EpiPens are properly labelled and stored in a safe place but they are still accessible to educators during a medical emergency (National Quality Standard, 2017).

The staff at Swan Academy are certified in first aid, asthma care, and anaphylaxis emergency response. The expiration dates on medications are routinely checked and monitored in our centre and proper storage plans are also followed to protect them. These small routines can make a difference in life-and-death situations.

4. Safe Sleep & Rest

We follow  safe sleeping practices to ensure the safety of the children such as:

• laying down children on their backs

• not covering faces

• firm mattress only

• watching over all the children who sleep

• frequent documenting of sleep checks

Children who do not want to sleep are provided with some quiet activities. We understand different sleeping patterns for different children as well as family preferences to ensure that every child is at ease and feels supported (Ensuring Safe Sleep: Best Practices for Supervising Sleeping and Resting Children in Early Childhood Education, 2025).

5. Sun Protection

Our sun safety roster covers:

• Mandatory application of sunscreen

• wearing hats with wide brims

• putting on light clothes

• playing in shaded areas

• keeping an eye on the UV levels every day

Children are taught to wear their hats by themselves. They learn to not go outside in the sun without sunscreen and hat (NSW Government, 2020).

 

6. Healthy Eating & Food Safety

Food safety is another important factor in children's health. We encourage children to eat healthy by making available:

• fruits and vegetables

• proper meals and snacks

• water supply all through the day

If the parents pack a lunchbox for the child, healthy nut-free ones are the preferred option. The educators take care of the children's food habits during meals and also ensure the food is safe to eat and kept in proper condition. Through discussions, children are learning about the concept of nutritious eating, helping in the organization of the snack areas, and being encouraged to develop the habit of listening to their bodies i.e eating when hungry and stopping when full (National Quality Standard, 2017) 

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