Physical Fun For Everyone

Keeping babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers active during lockdown 2.0

We are now half way through the second national lock down and as the weather worsens and the days darken, I don’t think that I am alone is saying that it is becoming harder to keep my children entertained, not just mentally but physically too.

With soft play areas closed and many indoor attractions shut it may be a concern that children are not getting enough exercise.

But how much exercise do children under 5 actually need to remain fit and healthy?

The below guide (put together with information from the NHS) should help us to ensure our babies, toddlers and preschoolers are supported in healthy growth and development:

Babies (0-12m)

Crawling is a great form of exercise for little ones but if they’re not yet scurrying around the floor then encourage them to be physically active by holding toys and sensory objects near to them for them to reach out and grasp for.

Lay your baby down on their back so they can kick their legs or on their front for periods of ‘tummy time’.

Pulling, pushing, grasping and playing with other people are great ways to practise different kinds of movements.

Once your baby has started crawling, let them crawl around the floor (under supervision of course - it’s amazing how quickly crawling babies can actually be once they get going!)

Where possible, playing outdoors which helps your baby learn about their surroundings.

Baby walkers and jumperoo type bouncers can be a godsend to allow a moment for a cup of hot tea or to put a wash on or answer a meal, but it is important your baby does not spend too much time in them as they can encourage babies to stand on their tiptoes and can delay walking if your baby uses them a lot.

If you do use a baby walker, bouncer, it's best to use them for no more than 20 minutes at a time.

According to The World Health Organisation, babies will be learning, developing and meeting a huge number of physical milestones by the time they are 18 months old as shown in the graph above.

Toddlers (1-2)

Anyone who has or who has had a toddler knows that they NEVER stop! Which although exhausting for the parent, means that they, for the most part, are achieving the recommended three hours a day of physical activity.

Suggested ideas of how to encourage activity and harness all that energy in a somewhat productive way include:

- Letting your toddler walk with you rather than always using the buggy.

- Using toys your child can pick up and move around which will help improve their co-ordination and develop the muscles in their arms and hands.

- Involve your toddler in household tasks like tidying or sorting washing.

- Building towers with anything that can be found around the house (cushions, toilet roll inners, wooden blocks etc).

- Teach your child songs with actions and encourage them to dance to music.

- Simple games like hide and seek can be played inside or what about building a pillow bridge for them to climb across the floor.

Pre-Schoolers (3-5)

Again the recommended physical activity is 180 minutes which should include at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity.

During the first lock down we discovered Cosmic Yoga, a fantastic pre-schooler friendly YouTube channel that our 3 year old loves!

Open ended play at this age is great too, especially as they start being able to use imaginative play and logical thinking (the floor is lava anyone?!), and where possible going on long walks or scavenger hunts can be great for this age group.

We'd love to hear how you're keeping your kids active - please let us know in the comments so we can share your ideas with our other patients with littles at home!

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