This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the American Dental Association.
What was your view of going to the dentist when you were a kid? If I’m being honest, I’d have to say that I had no view of it at all. Good oral health wasn’t stressed in our family, and I never went to the dentist as a child. The first time I sat in a dentist’s chair, I was 21 years old.

Now that I’ve come to understand the value of good oral health, my husband and I make sure that all of our children visit the dentist regularly. In fact, they love going to the children’s dentist because the office is geared toward kids. They can watch movies, play in an indoor treehouse, and choose prizes after each visit.

Well, most of my kids enjoy the dentist. My youngest son is the exception.

A few months ago, he was told that he would have to get fitted for braces. And since then, he’s started to dread going to the dentist. The orthodontist told him that he’d need them by age nine, so it’s just a matter of time.

Instead of viewing braces as an ordeal that he’ll have to go through, we want him to look at them as part of developing a healthy smile. We also want him to understand that there are several good habits suggested by the American Dental Association that we need to develop in order to take care of our teeth.

So I’m sharing this printable healthy smile file folder game for kids as part of a sponsored post on behalf of the American Dental Association! It’s a fun way to review good oral health habits with your kids and it’s absolutely free! Read on to see how to get yours!

It’s true that kids need to learn to brush their teeth every day. But that is just part of maintaining a healthy smile. According to the American Dental Association, good oral health also requires setting limits on sugary drinks, using fluoride regularly, and – if necessary – receiving orthodontic treatment, such as braces.

If kids need braces, they need to take additional care of their oral health by avoiding sugary, sticky foods and visiting the orthodontist regularly. So this healthy smile file folder game is designed to show kids the value of all of these habits when it comes to taking care of our teeth.

To play this game, you’ll need the following:

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Empty file folder
• Laminator
• Scissors
• Glue
• Hole punch
• Brass paper fastener

This game is designed for two players, so there are two game pieces.

Each side of the game includes boxes that help kids either move forward or backward, depending on whether they’re practicing good oral health habits or not.

Kids can use the game spinner to find out how many spaces they can move ahead in the game.

When they land on a box that features instructions, they can simply follow what’s written.

The first player to reach the end wins!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Say Cheese! Healthy Smile File Folder Game!

Don’t miss these other fun learning printables for kids!

And see more ideas for making parenting fun on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our Say Cheese! Healthy Smile File Folder Game, just sign up for our email newsletter! You’ll receive access to the game in our exclusive Subscriber Library! To sign up, use the widget below.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Dental Association.