Focusing your child’s physical fitness on fun activities will increase your child’s ability to move with confidence and competence. Exercise increases overall metabolism, builds a healthy heart and lungs, strong bones and muscles, and improves coordination, balance, posture and flexibility.
Infant
Encourage babies to explore activities that allow for reaching, rolling, sitting, crawling, pulling themselves up and walking. ‘Tummy Time’ is the perfect opportunity for babies to practice lifting their heads and develop strong muscles. Placing toys just out of reach encourages babies to reach for the toys, assisting in physical development.
First Steps/Toddler
Support young toddlers mastery of walking by allowing them to be active! Play with them as they learn to run, hop, dance and throw. Have them chase bubbles or invent a silly walk – play becomes exercise. Remember to always provide encouragement to toddlers as they build self-confidence.
Preschool +
Preschoolers need plenty of time and space to run around and play. Taking your child to a playground or park is a great way to release energy and exercise! Encourage creative dancing and riding scooters and tricycles. Play ‘Statues’ by playing up-tempo music. Have your child move while the music is playing and freeze into a statue when you pause it. Play outside with your child and teach hand-eye coordination by showing the basics of throwing, catching and kicking a large, soft ball.
An effective fitness program includes activities that promote physical activity in ways that are creative and fun, is clear and easy to implement, incorporates fun materials, includes opportunities to enhance personal and social skills, and integrates into other life experiences.
Spring can be a beautiful time of the year. Leaves are budding, plants are sprouting and temperatures are starting to warm – it is a great time to go on a learning adventure with your child in the great outdoors!
What counts as exercise for youngsters? Anything that involves moving!
