Physical wellbeing

Good physical and mental health is important for learning.

Mental health and physical health are inextricably linked. Schools play a vital role in promoting physical activity and quality sleep, providing advice about nutritious food, and providing targeted support for students and families. Creating opportunities to enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors related to aspects of mental and physical health leads to enhanced wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Develop whole-school approaches to create a positive and healthy learning environment:

Explicitly teach and embed social and emotional skills related to personal safety, resilience and help-seeking to enhance protective factors for students
Teach and model effective practices to promote healthy exercise and nutrition
Create opportunities for students to practise decision-making skills to make informed choices around tobacco, alcohol and drugs
Respond to individual needs of students and families with support strategies

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Physical activity

Healthy eating

Eat well, get active

Find information for kids and parents about healthy lifestyles, focusing on healthy eating and physical activity.

Eat more fruit and veggies

This fact sheet for parents and students provides information about recommended servings of fruit and vegetables, and healthy snack ideas.

Heart healthy eating principles

These five healthy eating principles from the Heart Foundation promote healthy hearts.

Arc: Healthy eating

This package provides students access to Vic Government resources and data about healthy eating.

Creating resilient kids together

This family information sheet outlines the skills children need to become resilient.

Eating disorders in schools

Eating disorders: prevention, early identification and response.

Sleep

Understanding school-age sleep

Find information and practical support to help your child's sleep and enhance their wellbeing.

Research: Sleep and mental wellbeing

Recommendations on sleep duration for all age-groups, including examples of behaviours that contribute to poor sleep patterns and interventions that have worked with teenagers.

Healthy sleep

The Sleep Health Foundation provides information and tips which help improve sleep.

Sleep and young people

Find out what is considered ‘normal’ in terms of sleep habits and what you can do to get a better night’s sleep.

Sleep lesson plan – Year 6

Developed with teachers, this lesson and accompanying video explores the benefits of good quality sleep for the body and brain.

Sleep lesson plan – Years 7–11

Developed with teachers, this lesson and accompanying video help you explore the importance of good quality sleep with your class and strategies to promote it.

Professional learning

Educator

Guide to thrive

Life Ed’s Guide to Thrive is a free toolkit containing more than 45 evidence-based resources to help teachers guide students as they embark upon the exciting but sometimes daunting move to secondary school. It's been designed to make life easier for teachers, the Program offers flexibility and most importantly saves time.

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Educator

Interoception and self-regulation

This free online course is suitable for primary and secondary educators with an interest in supporting children and young people with emotional self-regulation, mental health and wellbeing, and social and emotional skills.

Explore course