Healthy Kids

Eating and Activity: 13 Months

Get moving

• Be a good role model for your kids by making activity fun. Dance, play, skip. They will learn to love the magic of movement.
• Little ones are just getting the hang of walking. Allow them time to practice in a safe environment with lots of encouragement.

Eat smart

• Most kids pay attention to their bodies and have a good sense of when they are actually hungry. Your job is to put healthy foods on the plate, and your child's job is to decide which ones to eat and how much to eat.  Check out our tip sheet on Feeding Your Toddler.
• Focus on fiber. A 1-year-old child needs 6 grams of fiber in a day (their age plus 5). Make fiber foods safe for your young child by chopping or shredding vegetables into small pieces and slicing or smashing fruit.

Pull the plug

• Children under the age of 2 should not be getting any screen time, including television, videos, or computer screens. Children learn best by doing, not by watching. Children need direct, hands-touching, nose-smelling, tongue-tasting interaction.
• Taking the time to read with your child at least once a day can be a fun experience for both of you. 
• While playpens and other partitioned areas are not ideal for extended periods, they are a fine option for keeping your little one out of trouble while you accomplish specific tasks. Make sure that you can see and hear your child at all times.

Drink Well

• How long to continue breastfeeding is a very individual choice. The general guideline is to continue as long as it is working for both Mom and baby.
• Give your child the option of milk or water only. Between the age of 1 and 2 years, a child should have about 2 cups of whole cow’s milk a day (or your pediatrician may suggest 2 percent milk if your child’s weight is too high for height). If you feel your child can’t tolerate cow’s milk, talk to your pediatrician.
• Sugary drinks have calories and no nutrition. Even 100 percent fruit juice is mostly sugar and water. The juicing process wastes most of what is nutritious in the whole fruit. Enjoy eating your fruit, skip drinking it.