Fatten up my kids please!

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I have 2 children age 8 and 6. Girl and a boy. Both are ridiculously skinny. Around 10th centile for weight. They never really ask for food/snacks and eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks of fruit (including cooked school dinner daily)
They are both really active. I'd say my daughter does 6 hours of exercise a week and my son 4.
What foods can I give them that will bulk them up a bit. My daughter especially looks emaciated compared to her friends. Her legs are the same size from her calves upwards, so tiny thighs and tiny arms. Just want them both to look a bit healthier!

They don't need fattening up
They are healthy and a normal weight for them

Have the always been on the 10th percentile?
What height percentile are they on?
Are they fir and healthy?

Are they actually underweight or are others perhaps overweight?

There was research done that showed the people's idea of 'normal' was now skewed so that children who are in fact a healthy weight 'look' underweight. As long as they have energy and are not constantly unwell or have lost weight I wouldn't worry.

It sounds like they’re just naturally on the slimmer end of normal, someone has to be! You say they’re active, not asking for more food (so not hungry) but eating well throughout the day, so I’d leave them to it.

For Pete's sake, you do not need to "fatten them up." They are perfectly healthy, they eat the right amount, and they are the perfect size for their bodies.

My brothers and I were head to toe toothpicks. I was the same weight from the age of 9 until 15. 😳
I was mercilessly teased. But once I hit puberty, I got my softness and curves and lost my scrawny look. My mother was constantly trying to fatten us up (putting mascarpone or ricotta into pancake mix, milkshakes, etc). But we were just so outdoorsy and sporty and living in sunny 80s California, we were just naturally super lean. As long as your kids feel well and eat well, just let them be. But if they feel weak or tired and look a bit rundown, then it’s milkshake time! Five Guys! Reece’s milkshakes, to be specific. 😁

One reason for being so skinny could be lack of muscle build. Do they get enough protein in their diets? I would entirely focus on adding more protein and possibly healthy fats but I would t feed them extra carbs just because they are very slim.

They're not huge meat eaters. They do a lot of gymnastics, athletics, dancing, cheer leading, football etc.
they've always been on the skinny side, but they've both been poorly for about 3 months now on and off and look so pale.

If you put their height, weight and age into the kids NHS BMI calculator, where do they sit? I think it's 3% that is classed as underweight.
DS1 was around 25th centile as a baby, but has slowly settled around 6th. His legs looked like twigs until he was about 10. It's where he is. He eats loads. He is fit and healthy - and outruns most of his peer group.

If they have been ill, focus on proteins, good fats and a decent portion of carbs. Along with fresh fruit and veg. I did worry about him when he got covid last year, and he basically didn't eat for a week. But we added in a full fat yogurt with breakfast, and a biscuit (yes, mine eat cake and biscuits) after school - he stopped snacking when the lock down happened - and soon filled back up to his usual skinny size.

If their height and weight are in proportion, don't worry.

Oh ffs OP. Leave them be. Be happy they won’t have obesity issues as they get older. Remind them of that

Have you been recommended by a medical professional to "fatten them up"? If not, I wouldn't worry, some people are naturally slim, my nieces definitely are.

The consultant surgeon doing my son's most recent surgery recommended doing that for the purposes of the anaesthetic and said that an extra cup of full fat milk per day would help.

They sound normal weight wise. The paleness could partly be lack of sunlight over winter. It's been a horrible winter, very wet, very dull and damp.
Very few bright frosty mornings, no snow to get them out playing, parks are sodden so not much fun to play in them.

Are they lacking vit D?

I think pp have a point that we can lose sight of healthy weights, however they do sound incredibly thin and if you as their mother think they’re underweight and you’re worried they probably are.
4-6 hours activity a week doesn’t sound incredibly active to me either, certainly more active than a lot of kids, but unless they’re fairly active the rest of the time and that’s just their structured activities, that isn’t a lot imo - or rather it’s not enough to explain why they are as you say, quite ill looking.
what about the people in yours and their dads family, is this a normal shape genetically for them?

i don’t know what you’re feeding them already but I’d consider getting a bit more protein in them, and making sure all the calories they are taking in are nutritious, especially if you’re finding they’re ill a lot.
so for example for a snack instead of a piece of fruit, could they have some meat or cheese or a handful of nuts, some Greek yog with honey fruit and nuts, a smoothie filled with milk, yoghurt, fruit some hidden veggies and proteins etc.
for meals ensure there is plenty of protein and they’re both hitting at a minimum 5 vegetables a day.
if they don’t like to eat meat look at beans and pulses, cheese, nuts and other sources of protein.

The amount of activity they do sounds perfectly normal.

The weight sounds normal too, but I would be a bit (not very, though) concerned if they’re both constantly ill. It is winter, though.

They both need to be healthy, not this or that size or weight. I say that as mum to two scrawny children myself. Both mine eat full fat dairy (no diet or light products in the house) but with no added sugars or artificial sweeteners. As much protein and carbs as they want, and they want decent portions and a generally good balance (my son favour carbs, my daughter protein and vegetables). They can add honey or maple syrup to yogurt if they want. I just want minimal processed stuff in their diets. They eat nuts and popcorn and apple slices with PB etc as snacks, toast and butter, a banana etc. We do have processed stuff too (biscuits, granola bars) but not much and mostly when they’ve run out of time to eat properly or are outdoors all day. I bake cakes and cookies etc. The only restriction on those is one portion a day (Eg two choc chip cookies, one slice of banana bread etc).

All meals are homemade, dessert is normally fruit. If berries they sometimes have whipped cream, sometimes custard, sometimes ice cream, sometimes nothing. Otherwise it’s melon, papaya, pineapple, apple slices, grapes, mangoes etc.

I want them to learn good eating habits because come puberty everything will change. It’s normal for young children to look scrawny and skinny. As long as they’re healthy and happy and engaged and not sick, they’re doing just fine.

My daughter is a similar centile for BMI (13th) and my husband is always anxious to feed her up. But I really don't think you need to worry unless you think their diet is unbalanced. Most Western diets include more meat than we need so I wouldn't stress hugely about this.as long as they get some eggs, dairy, pulses etc. Healthy 6 - 8 year olds are supposed to have that knobbly knee look, they shouldn't have chubby thighs or curves at that age. Far better to be on the slim side when so many parents are worrying about overweight kids.

Your GP will notice if there really is a “weight” problem, if they have seen them recently.

One of my kids is actually underweight and it’s very obvious and the GP called the peads team while I was sat in the room having the GP appointment. They take it very seriously.

Have you calculated the kids BMI? It’s on the nhs website if it falls under 1% take them to the GP about it. You will get referred to peads and dietetics. If they are not under 1st carry on as normal.

Are you sure they’re too thin or is it more likely that their peers are too fat? What centile are they on for height? What are some examples of meals that you feed them?

Porridge.
Wholemeal bread.
Real butter and full cream milk.
Whole milk yoghurt etc.

Health wise the best gift we can give our children is to send them into adulthood with a healthy BMI. You sound like yours are on the way. This is a good thing.

I understand OP. One of my DC is skinny, no idea about centiles but she always has been (unlike her siblings).

She was weighed at school in year 6 and is considered a healthy weight though. She’s just very good at regulating herself - eats to her appetite. I’m actually rather envious!

Could it be an iron deficiency? My youngest doesn’t eat, doesn’t feel hungry, pale skin with big black eyes 2nd centile for weight The Dr has started him on iron tablets and he seems to have improved over night.

They sound unhealthy from this post, but their weight is fine. People have really lost sight of what a healthy weight is nowadays. 4 hours a week of exercise is not “really active” I would say it’s perfectly average and there will be many doing more.
I would look at their diets if they’ve been so unwell. Do they take a multi vitamin? You say they’re pale; do you not get outdoors much? My children walk every day to and from school so thats 30-40 mins a day depending whether they’ve taken bikes or scooters or have walked.

They walk to and from school (only a mile each way) and play outside at school for play time. We tend to do an hour dog walk outside at the weekend.
I have done both their centiles. One is 13th and one is 10th.
Weight wise one is 3 stone 2 and the other is 3 stone 11.

Just double checked with their correct measurements and one is 9th centile and one is 6th centile. I guesstimated their heights yesterday but just checked on their height charts.