Behavior - Gaining New Heights

Quick Facts

New guidelines for children under age 5 call for youngsters to get certain types of physical activity every day from birth.  Here are some examples:

For infants, from birth to 12 months: 

Brightly colored, easy-to-grasp toys that can be squeezed or have different textures encourage reaching and grasping.  A baby just starting to learn to roll over may be motivated to keep trying if parents wave a favorite toy just out of reach.  Provide at least a 5-by-7-feet blanket for playing, rolling and other large-muscle activities, and later, a safe area to explore while crawling.

Toddlers, ages 12 months to 36 months: 

Bounce, throw and chase balls to develop hand-eye coordination. 

Dancing to music and follow-along songs promote body awareness and balance.  Stair-climbing develops leg muscles and coordination, but should be taught on carpeted steps with an adult to prevent falls.

Preschoolers, ages 3 to 5 years: 

Help the child walk along a line on the ground or in a safe area not around cars, along a sidewalk curb, to promote balance.  Lay out objects to create a maze or tell a child to run around a tree and back, providing vigorous exercise plus mastering turns and balance.  Around age 3, children learn to hop. Ask the child to hop first on one foot, then the other, promoting balance and strengthening leg muscles. Promote different rhythms by asking them to skip, learned around age 4.  Games should be noncompetitive. Preschoolers lack the social and cognitive development for organized team sports, which can leave them frustrated and block later interest in the sport.  The National Association for Sport and Physical Education

Additional Articles/Resources

Note: You'll find these articles at different web sites. Use the "back" button when you're done to return to this page.

Exercise and Babies: Get Babies out of Strollers and onto the Floor - Too many tots are confined for long periods in strollers, baby seats or playpens when they should be moving around. The article goal is to share common-sense, fun activities, and making physical activity a part of normal, everyday life.

Raising Healthy Eaters and Active Children - Physical activity, nutrition, parenting, and medical evaluation.