Tweens and teens may seem to be constantly on the go. But while they're go, go, going ... are they really being physically active? Encourage them to be more active this holiday season with gifts that either inspire physical activity or generate it.

When choosing active gifts for the younger set, keep fun in mind. While a pedometer might be a great tool for kids of any age, it's not exactly thrilling for a teenager to open a handsomely wrapped gift and find a pedometer inside. So look for items that not only promote physical fitness, but also generate some excitement. Check out the gallery for some activity-inspiring gifts for the tweens and teens in your life.

Young minds are easy to mold, so teaching our kids healthy habits early on is vital -- learning to eat a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise will no doubt benefit them well into adulthood.

The British Government obviously recognizes this -- they've put together a healthy cookbook designed with 11-year-olds in mind -- and they're giving it to them for free. The idea here is to get kids cooking by teaching them safe kitchen practices, as well as providing them with healthy meal ideas that are fresh, delicious, and rich in healthy ingredients like fruit and veg. Hunger-inspiring recipes include vegetable curry, chili con carne, spaghetti bolognese and custard.

Not 11 or British? No need to fret -- you can download the cookbook for free here.

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As Jacki pointed out last week, sleep is important for children's health. I can totally relate to her post about strict bedtimes ... we're going through this right now ourselves. After a long summer of lazy evenings spent with little regard to bedtime (and peaceful mornings where the kids slept in!), we now have to be up, at the latest, at 7 A.M. each morning.

Because my kids are still quite young, I know that they still need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. It's not easy getting them to bed early (my goal is 7:30), but I know that if we don't stick to the new bedtime routine, I'll have sleepy, grouchy kids who aren't getting what they need to be healthy.

So how much sleep do kids need? It depends on their age and their individual needs. My girls should be getting 10 to 12, but I know from experience that 12 is really optimum for them. Kids Health has a great article on sleep guidelines for kids. As a general rule:

• 0-6 months: Newborns may sleep up to 16-20 hours a day, split between day and night.
• 6-12 months: Between naps and nighttime, babies this age may sleep 15-16 hours a day.
• 1-3 years: Toddlers need 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including a nap
• 3-5 years: Preschoolers will sleep about 10 to 12 hours a night, and may start to drop their nap.
• 6-9 years: These kids still need about 10 hours a night.
• 10 to 12: Aim for a little more than 9 hours per night.
• Teens: Not quite adults, teens still need about 8.5 to 9 hours per night.
  

Of course, these are only guidelines. There are children who will need more sleep, as well as those who thrive on less. But in general, making sleep a priority will help your child be healthy and alert for whatever their day holds.

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Across the country this morning, kids are heading off to their first day of school. Hopefully, they're hitting the books with a solid, nutritious breakfast in their stomachs. Research shows that not only do breakfast eaters tend to eat fewer calories overall during the day, but kids who eat breakfast are more alert, do better academically, and feel better all around.

Not everyone is a morning person, however, and not everyone is a breakfast eater. That can make getting a good breakfast into a child or teen challenging. One way around a reluctant eater is the smoothie. Smoothies can pack an enormous nutritional punch, are easy to make, and are simple for kids to grab and go.

Diet-Blog has the basics on smoothie-making for beginners, as well as a few easy recipes. Once you get the hang of making smoothies, it's easy to play around with flavor and ingredients. You might even be able to turn a tween or teen on to the process, and before you know it, they'll be whipping up their own smoothies!

If cleaning a blender scares you off of smoothies, consider a product like the Shake and Take blender, which allows smoothie-lovers to mix up a single serving smoothie in a grab-and-go cup with straw and lid.

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Kids should consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day. Really. Limiting caffeine will minimize jitteriness and sleep problems and will contribute to the overall health of your pint-sized pals.

While energy drinks have become ultra popular among teens and tweens, just one serving can contain 200 milligrams of caffeine and gobs of sugar -- as many as five teaspoons of sugar are often crammed into a thin little energy-drink can. That's simply too much for these youngsters. Do your kids a favor and help them transition to more healthful beverages, like water, low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, 100 percent fruit juice, and sports drinks low in caffeine and sugar.

For more on why energy drinks aren't really good for anyone, adults included, check out this enlightening article.

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