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E-X-E-R-C-I-S-E
Health and Fitness by the Book
By Lisa A. Goldstein
When it comes to choosing the books, Lori Wolf, assistant professor of literacy at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., recommends picking books that you like. This will show your child that you enjoy reading and find reading a happy time. The message of good health doesn't have to be direct: "I tend not to love books that are too preachy and [like ones with] more subtle messages or straightforward non-fiction," Wolf says. "One of the criteria used to evaluate children's literature is [this]: Does the story teach a lesson without being too overt?"
Because toddlers and preschoolers love to copy what they see – whether it's real life or make-believe – subtle messages are very powerful, says Sharif. "Children will usually notice everything in the pictures, so it's important to make sure that the pictures in a book go along with the message you want your child to learn," she says. "So books that have pictures of or just happen to mention healthy foods like fruits/vegetables are effective in increasing a child's interest in those foods."
Young children are also very focused on the concepts of right and wrong, "so a book that overtly says 'exercising is good for you' is also effective," says Sharif. "The preschool years are an important time to introduce structure and to introduce the ideas of what is healthy and what is not."
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