728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Development › Let's Get Physical

Let's Get Physical

The Importance of Getting Your Toddler up and Active

By Rae Pica, Children's Movement Specialist

Pages:  1  2  3  

A Toddler's Development
Of course, there's also your toddler's motor development to consider. How can he possibly acquire and refine his motor skills if he's not up and moving around? How is he to build his bones and muscles, become coordinated and develop confidence in his physical abilities? Without all this he's unlikely to participate in physical activity or sports later in his life, which means he could well become an overweight adolescent or adult. Additionally, all the recent brain research is confirming that motor development is tied to brain and intellectual development!

What can you do about it? Plenty! To begin, you can encourage your toddler to be active. Research has shown that the children who are most active are those whose parents have encouraged them to be active. Here are some other tips:

  • Demonstrate enthusiasm for physical activity. Children learn by watching the important adults in their lives. If you spend the majority of your time in sedentary activities, that's what your child will want to do, too. But if you spend time playing with her, she'll have a wonderful role model.
  • If rainy or cold weather has forced your child indoors, assure her you know how to brighten her day and play a rousing game of Follow the Leader. If the weather's good and your little one needs to burn some energy, tell her it's time to go for a walk! Then, with all the excitement you can muster, set off to see and hear everything you can in the neighborhood. If you have a playful, enthusiastic attitude toward physical activity, you form a positive association with it in your child's mind.
    • Pages:  1  2  3  


    Want to see more?