How to raise "well" kids

This fall at Willowdale, our focus skill is Wellness. Each week, our guided activity will invite explorers, and their grown-ups to practice the skills needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

Wellness is more than just the food we eat though that's, of course, a big part of it. Wellness is the community we surround ourselves with, it’s our creative outlet, moving our bodies, getting outside, and so much more. For the past decade, the US has received a D- from the Physical Activity Alliance in regard to kids' overall physical activity stating, in a nutshell, that no more than 28% of kids in the US get the 60 minutes of daily activity their bodies need to thrive (Borseth, 2025). We know that kids who are more active in childhood tend to take this skills and habit into their adult hood. Being active while outside is a huge bonus and wellness of the mind, body and spirit (soul, heart - however you relate to this idea) are directly impacted.

Yesterday we met at the park to explore ideas surrounding creativity, connection and nourishment as we tuned into the harvest season. We worked together and invited explorers to engage in imaginative play through “cooking” their own forest putty. They measured, poured and blended all ingredients from start to finish encountering problems along the way with grace, persistence, patience, and enthusiasm.

Whenever we lead our wellness session, there is always a lesson (or a few) on flexibility. In the past, we've discovered that racoons spilled some paint on a canvas we were to create on, or Miss Steph "forgot" the paintbrushes, so they had to get creative. Yesterday, explorers received a recipe that was secretly incorrect, they worked with their grown-ups to experiment with what they could add to their buckets to achieve a dough they were happy with!

I was seriously impressed; it was messy, slimy and they could have given up but They persevered and overcame the challenges. We know that when kids are given the opportunity to practice games and/or activities in which expectations shift unexpectedly, this helps them build resilience and learn to adjust when they hit challenging situations in "real life."

Books to inspire creativity, flexibility and connection to community. Head to the library and gather some new favorite reads. What if is a family favorite of ours!

Just a few of our favorite books that celebrate flexibility.

Follow along this fall to learn about our wellness adventures in the woods! Better yet, join us for some fun! You can view our calendar here!

Borseth, J. (2025, August 26). Summary: 2024 US Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth - Physical Activity Alliance. Physical Activity Alliance. https://paamovewithus.org/resource/summary-2024-us-report-card-on-physical-activity-for-children-and-youth/