About this topic
All people can exercise, even babies and toddlers. Exercise is any activity you do that helps your physical fitness and health. Babies and toddlers run and play to exercise. Parents need to give their child space to move freely to build their skills. Then your child will be able to reach, roll, crawl, and sit up. Learning to pull up, cruise, and walk will follow. ‚
General
Ask your doctor before starting any exercises for your baby or toddler. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) suggests that toddlers be active for at least 1 1/2 hours per day. Thirty minutes of this should be planned activity and 60 minutes should be free play. ‚
Exercises for babies: ‚
- Lay your baby on a blanket on the floor. Place toys with bright colors and some that are easy to grab to make your baby reach and grasp.
- Put your baby on the tummy facing you. Make your baby lift the head and kick the legs.
- Help your baby pull to sitting up by grasping your babys hands with your fingers around them. Make sure to place your thumbs in your baby's palms.
- Hold your baby at the waist or grasp your baby's waist to help your baby stand up.
- Help your baby roll from tummy to back and from back to tummy.
- Move your baby's legs in a pedaling motion like when riding a bicycle.
- Wave your baby's arms from side-to-side and up and down.
- Raise your baby in the air while supporting your baby's belly.
Exercises for toddlers: ‚
- Use a ball to teach your child how to throw, catch, and kick a ball.
- Blow bubbles and have your child chase them.
- Play music and have your child dance.
- Do some silly things like running like a monkey, hopping like a bunny, or flapping like a bird. Then, make your child copy you.
- Have your child ride a bike.
- Have your child play games that involve rolling, skipping, hopping, and chasing.
- Sign up with your toddler for a tumbling, swimming, or dancing class.
What will the results be?
Your baby or toddler may have: ‚
- More endurance
- Stronger muscles and bones
- A leaner body
- Less chance to become overweight or have high blood sugar
- Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
- Better balance or coordination
- Better sleep
- Less stress
- Better able to handle emotional and physical challenges
- More belief in themselves
What problems could happen?
When do I need to call the doctor?
Your child gets hurt during play ‚
Helpful tips
- Do not exercise with your baby or toddler when they are tired, hungry, or right after feeding.
- Make sure the place is safe for your baby or toddler.
- Make activity a part of your normal routine.
- Join your toddler while your toddler exercises. Dance with your child or let your toddler chase you around. Have older siblings join in the fun.
- Try to fit exercise into your daily routines:
- Take the stairs instead of going on an elevator.
- Park far away from places to get in more walking.
- Change activities to keep exercise appealing and fun.
- Limit the amount of TV that your baby or child watches. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggest:
- No TV for kids under 2 years old.
- 1 to 2 hours per day of TV for kids over 2 years old.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Pediatrics ‚
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/Movement-and-Coordination.aspx ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/exercise.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚