Grade 3 Hygiene And Nutrition Health Practices – Healthy Habits Notes

Healthy Habits

Topic: Health Practices — Subject: Hygiene and Nutrition
For: Kenyan children (age 8). Simple tips you can use every day.

What are healthy habits? 🤗

Healthy habits are small things we do every day to keep our bodies clean and strong. They help us feel good at school and at home.

Good Hygiene (Keeping clean)

• 🧼 Wash your hands with soap and water: before eating, after using the toilet, and after playing outside. (Sing a short song for 20 seconds!)
• 🪥 Brush your teeth twice a day — morning and before bed. Use toothpaste with fluoride if possible.
• 🚿 Bathe or wash your face and body every day. Clean under your nails and change into clean clothes.
• 🚽 Use the toilet and always wash hands afterwards. If there is no toilet, bury faeces and keep the area clean.
• 💧 Drink clean water only — boiled or treated where needed. Get water from safe sources like taps, safe wells, or stored clean jerrycans.

Good Nutrition (Eating well) 🍎🥛

Eat different foods so your body gets energy and grows strong:

• 🍲 Carbohydrates: Foods like ugali, rice, chapati, and potatoes give you energy.
• 🥦 Vegetables and fruits: Eat sukuma wiki, spinach, carrots, bananas, mangoes — they help you see, grow and fight disease.
• 🫘 Proteins: Beans (maharagwe), eggs, milk (maziwa), fish, or meat help build muscles.
• 🥛 Drink milk or have a dairy food for strong bones.
• 🍬 Try not to eat too many sweets, chips or sugary drinks every day. Have them only sometimes.
• 🍽️ Wash fruits and vegetables before eating. Eat meals at regular times.

Daily Healthy Checklist ✅

(Tick these each day)

• ☑️ Washed hands before meals
• ☑️ Brushed teeth in the morning and at night
• ☑️ Ate at least one fruit and one vegetable
• ☑️ Drank clean water
• ☑️ Bathed and wore clean clothes
• ☑️ Slept early and woke up refreshed

Simple day plan (example)

• 6:30 AM — Wake up, brush teeth, wash face
• 7:00 AM — Breakfast (porridge or milk + fruit)
• 12:30 PM — Lunch (ugali or rice + sukuma wiki + beans or fish)
• 4:00 PM — Snack (fruit or roasted groundnuts)
• 7:00 PM — Dinner and brush teeth before bed
• 8:00 PM — Sleep (kids need enough sleep to grow!)

Tips for families and schools

• Make handwashing stations with a jerrycan and soap at home or school. 🚰
• Serve small amounts of many foods so children try different tastes.
• Teach by example — parents and teachers should show healthy habits too.

Quick questions (think or ask someone)

1. When should you wash your hands?
2. Name three healthy foods you can find in Kenya.
3. Why is drinking clean water important?