Daily Calcium Needs

It is also important to understand how much calcium kids actually need.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences recommends:2
500mg a day for kids who are 1 to 3 years old
800mg a day for kids who are 4 to 8 years old
1300mg a day for kids who are 9 to 18 years old Keep in mind that the %DV for calcium on food labels is based on the adult requirements of 1000mg a day. So a cup of milk that was 30% DV for calcium, would be equal to 300mg of calcium, which would actually be equal to 60% of a toddler's calcium needs for the day. But it would be only about 23% of a teen's calcium needs. That means that you can only really use the %DV as a guide to how much calcium your kids are getting from the foods they are eating each day.
Calcium Rich FoodsIn addition to choosing foods from the following list,3 you should learn to look at food labels and simply choose foods that have a high %DV for calcium and at least 20% or more. You may find big differences in the calcium content of foods, even among different brands of the same foods, such as cheese, juice, and bread.
Yogurt, plain
Yogurt, fruit
Milk, low fat or nonfat
Milk, whole
Cheese, including American cheese, Ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, etc.
Milk shakes
Eggnog Remember that just because your child is eating cheese doesn't mean that she is getting a lot of calcium. Be sure to check the nutrition label to make sure the cheese has a lot of calcium in it. And also look for foods made with these calcium rich foods as ingredients, such as a Macaroni and cheese (cheese), pudding (milk), nachos (cheese), etc.
Nondairy Foods with CalciumGetting enough calcium can be a especially hard if your kids are allergic to milk. These nondairy foods can be good choices for kids with milk allergies who need calcium:
Salmon
Tofu
Rhubarb
Sardines
Collard Greens
Spinach
Turnip Greens
Okra
White Beans
Baked Beans
Broccoli
Peas
Brussel Sprouts
Sesame Seeds
Bok Choy
Almonds
Calcium Fortified FoodsIn addition to the large number of calcium rich foods that are naturally found, like milk and cheese, there are also a lot of foods that are now fortified with calcium. These can be especially good choices if your kids don't like to drink milk.
Calcium fortified breakfast cereal, including General Mills Whole Grain Total, Total Raisin Bran, Total Vanilla Yogurt, Total with Strawberries, and Total Honey Clusters, which have 100%DV of calcium per serving!
Calcium fortified orange juice
Calcium fortified soy milk
SunnyD with Calcium (most SunnyD products don't have calcium, so look for the one that does if your child needs extra calcium in his diet)
Instant oatmeal
Calcium fortified bread, English muffins, etc.
Calcium fortified drink mixes, such as Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast
Other calcium fortified breakfast cereals, including General Mills Golden Grahams (350mg) By learning to read food labels, you may be able to find other foods that are fortified with calcium.
What You Need To Know
Talk to your Pediatrician if you aren't sure if your child is getting enough calcium in his diet.
Most varieties of children's vitamins don't have much calcium in them and you may need a specialized calcium supplement instead.
Choose from a combination of calcium rich foods to get even more calcium in your child's diet, such as a grilled cheese sandwich using calcium fortified bread and cheese or a calcium fortified breakfast cereal with half a cup of low fat milk.
In addition to getting enough calcium in your diet, regular exercise is also important for healthy bones.