Healthy nutrition and feeding practices are foundational for the growth of young children. Knowing what and how to feed children in infancy through the early years is important for families and caregivers as they help establish healthy habits that will carry through until adulthood. The ABCs of Growing Healthy Kids are a helpful resource for providing general feeding information from birth through six years of age. Specific topics of interest are also covered such as picky eaters, healthy snacks and breakfast ideas. Downloadable PDFs are available for printing and sharing.
ABCs of Growing Healthy Kids
Brighten Up with Breakfast
This publication offers ideas for breakfast foods, alternatives to traditional breakfast foods, and recipes that kids will love. Download the breakfast PDF.
Good Times at Meal Times
Getting everyone together for a meal can seem like an impossible task, but the benefits of eating together make family mealtimes a tradition worth pursuing. This publication explains why and offers some tips and advice on how to have a good time at mealtimes. Download the meal times PDF.
Keep on Snacking
It can be hard for kids to get all the nutrients they need in three meals a day, especially if they are very active. That's why nutritious snacks are good for growing kids. This four-page publication offers a wealth of fun ideas for healthy snacks based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate recommendations. Download the snacking PDF.
Partners for Healthy Eating
Parents and children are partners for healthy eating. As partners, parents and children share food tasks - parents have certain jobs and so do the children, but these jobs are different from each other. This publication provides tips for helping you care for your child. Download the healthy eating partners PDF.
Picky Eaters
What appears to be "picky" eating may be your preschooler's early bouts of independence. Before a picky eater becomes a problem eater, you can use skills and techniques to overcome mealtime struggles and encourage even the pickiest eater to try new foods. This publication offers some tips and advice on how to cope with young, opinionated eaters. Download the picky eaters PDF.
Sequence of Development and Feeding Skills
This publication provides information about the stages of development and feeding skills in children to help you care for your baby. Download the sequence of development PDF.
Lead Poisoning
Lead is poisonous to the mind and body. It can damage health and cause problems that make it hard for your child to learn. It can even kill. This publication details the symptoms of lead poisoning and explains what you can do to prevent it. Download the lead poisoning PDF.
ABCs of Growing Healthy Kids (by age)
Newborn to One-Month-Old
As a new parent, you will have many hours of joy while you hold and cuddle your baby. As your baby develops, you will experience the unfolding of a new life and a new person. Your baby is just beginning to learn to adjust to life in the outside world. During this first month, most of your baby's time will be spent sleeping, crying, or eating. Your baby is totally dependent on you to meet his or her basic needs. Most of your time will be spent figuring out the best ways to do this. This publication provides helpful information on caring for your new baby. Download the 1-month old PDF.
Two-Month-Old
As your baby grows and develops, she will be spending more time awake than before. Babies now start to take notice of more things around them. Your baby will be busy looking, listening, and learning. During this time, your baby begins to develop trust and an emotional attachment to you. Making sure your baby feels safe and cared for is an important part of helping her to grow strong and healthy. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 2-month old PDF.
Three-Month-Old
Every baby is different. If you watch your baby closely, you will get clues about how she likes to be handled. Your baby will develop trust and an emotional attachment to you. If you respond quickly to your baby's cues, it will help her to feel secure. The publication provides information to help you care for you baby. Download the 3-month old PDF.
Four-Month-Old
Your baby is growing and changing and is eager to move around and explore. When you let your baby see, touch, smell, and listen to new things, it helps him learn. This publication provides tips for caring for your baby. Download the 4-month-old PDF.
Five-Month-Old
Your baby is gaining more body control and is eager to move around and explore. Babies at this age are no longer happy to just sit quietly and look around. They are generally cheerful and energetic and interested in everything. Sitting up, playing, babbling, touching things, and moving around help your baby learn about the world. This publication provides tips for caring for your baby. Download the 5-month-old PDF.
Six-Month-Old
Your baby is very interested in the world around him. The reaching and grasping that your baby has been doing in the past few months will be perfected in the coming weeks. Soon your baby will not only pick up a nearby rattle, but will shake it on purpose. And, along with your baby's growing body, his personality is growing too! This publication provides helpful information about caring for your baby. Download the 6-month-old PDF.
Seven-Month-Old
During these weeks and months of rapid skill-building and development, your baby will become much more accomplished at sitting in the high chair, showing good hand-mouth coordination, having an increasingly more accurate grasp, and developing chewing abilities. At seven months, these skills are probably just beginning. But the majority of babies will have most of these abilities by ten months. This publication provides helpful tips for caring for your baby. Download the 7-month-old PDF.
Eight-Month-Old
At eight months of age, your baby is curious about everything. This is a fun time for both of you. Your baby may surprise you with how well she can get around the house. Let her explore, but keep her safe. Try to let her explore and move around on her own, unless she is in danger or may hurt herself. Make your home as safe as possible for your baby. Join in the games that help her learn about her world. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 8-month-old PDF.
Nine-Month-Old
Your infant is curious, mobile, active, and capable, but definitely not concerned with safety or being neat. Babies at this age are explorers. They don't realize they are making a mess. You need to be understanding and keep a sharp eye out for dangerous situations. Your baby is just doing what comes naturally--exploring his world. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 9-month-old PDF.
Ten-Month-Old
Your baby is moving toward the toddler stage and is gradually leaving behind many of his previous baby feeding and developmental traits. At the same time, he may try a new skill and then resort to familiar methods. Your patience, support, and good humor will help your child to move smoothly into toddler-hood. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 10-month-old PDF.
Eleven-Month-Old
Your baby is moving toward becoming a toddler in many ways. He may seem more like a young toddler than a baby in many of his behaviors (including his eating), and this will present new challenges to you. Your patience, support, and good humor will help your child move smoothly into toddler-hood. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 11-month-old PDF.
Twelve-Month-Old
What an exciting time for your baby and you! As your baby approaches his first birthday, he is displaying many skills and abilities he has learned and mastered. In many ways, he closely resembles an older child. Though he is moving in that direction, your twelve-month-old has some unique needs. This publication provides tips to help you care for your baby. Download the 12-month-old PDF.
12 to 24 Months
This is a very active time in your growing child's life. Toddlers are full of energy and curiosity. They are becoming much more independent and aware of themselves as individuals. At this age, they love to explore and try to do things on their own but also may seem selfish and self-centered. This is because they don't yet have the ability to think about how others feel or consider what others want. They are very busy and curious and need understanding adults who have a good sense of humor. This publication provides tips to help you care for your toddler. Download the 12-24-months old PDF.
Two to Six Years
Are you and your child having problems at mealtimes? Does it seem as if your child won't eat anything anymore? You are not alone! All parents of preschoolers know the challenge of getting their children to eat well. This publication offers some tips and advice on how to help your child become a healthy eater. Download the 2-6 years old PDF.
