Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.
Parenting is a vast and varied subject, and many experts have difficulty coming to agreements about what is best for toddlers. One thing, however, is universally accepted; toddlers need to stay healthy and active in order to develop positive habits later in life. Health is a major concern for everyone in our world today. Follow these tips to kick the couch potato lifestyle and keep your toddler active to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
- Limit TV Time
While the TV is a great parenting tool for entertaining and educating children, it is a double-edged sword. Toddlers can learn many great things from TV, but an overload of this kind of stimulation leads to lazy habits, low attention span and a sedentary lifestyle. Help your toddler get off to a good start in life by limiting their amount of TV time every day. Push educational programming and restrict the amount of mindless entertainment they get from the TV screen. - Join in the Fun
As a parent, it is important that you take an active role in your toddler’s healthy physical activities. Become more than just a spectator, and join in the fun whenever possible. Help your toddler develop a strong body and acute coordination skills by engaging in fun, age-appropriate games. Put on your play clothes and roll around in the grass together. When your toddler sees you having fun in these physical activities, he or she will be more enthusiastic about the subject. You are your toddler’s primary role model and first best friend, so become a good play partner yourself. - Encourage Sporting Activities
Sports are great physical activities for children of all ages. They promote fitness and physical activity from the earliest formative years, and engaging in sporting activities with other children helps to develop healthy social skills. Encourage your toddler to engage in a variety of sporting activities. Look for local teams that offer toddlers and young children a healthy environment in which to develop their minds and bodies through lighthearted sporting activity. Remember, it’s not about winning or losing at this age; it’s about having healthful and wholesome fun. - Go for Regular Walks
Inject a little bit of physical activity into every day by taking regular walks with your toddler. Many people in today’s world are overly dependent on their cars as a means of transportation, and they’ve forgotten about the many benefits of taking a walk. Take walks to the grocery store, daycare center or local park. The fresh air will do a world of good for both of you, and your toddler will grow up less dependent on motorized transportation. - Eat Healthy at Home
The foundation of any healthy life is a healthy diet. Get the whole family together for wholesome home-cooked meals whenever possible. Encourage a diet heavy on whole grains and vegetables, and consider starting your toddler on small multivitamins if your doctor deems it healthy to do so. Every child deserves the best shot at a healthy and happy life; give your toddler a head start by making your home a school of healthy eating.
We haven’t tried official sports for our toddler yet, but we will soon!
These are tips that come in handy like forever. I find I have to push my preteen son to get moving. It was so much easier when he was younger but I never give up. There are days when I really wish computers and video games were never invented. Sigh..
Each morning I take the stroller and take my little boy to the park and we play around outside. If we skip a day to the park, we go out in the backyard and kick his soccer ball back and forth. I try to give both my daughter and son healthy food, (mango’s , banana’s, papaya’s) I love fruit’s can’t you tell :). You are absolutely right about limiting how long a child is watching tv. I try my best to do other fun activities like painting, crafting so they don’t even miss the tv at all. thanks for sharing. love it all.
Staying active is very important, and sometimes difficult these days with all the technology kids are into. Great tips.