It is important for all children to be active.
Being active is essential for their physical and mental health and development.
Physical activities are of 2 types:
- Light intensity activity such as walking and playing board games
- More energetic physical activity, e.g., running, climbing, jumping and cycling
Being a parent, you have to plan on how to keep toddlers active throughout the day.
Now that your kid is 2 years old, you can plan the following outdoor activities for your toddler:
- Jumping
- Hopping
- Kicking a ball
- Hitting a ball with a bat
- Playing with a balloon
- Playing catch with a bean bag or balloon
- Playing hide and seek
- Climbing frames, ladders or low branches on trees
- Riding scooters and tricycles
You can choose green spaces where your child can enjoy outdoor play
You can also take your kid to
- Swimming
- Indoor soft play areas
- Active play sessions run by children’s centres
- Structured activity programmes
Benefits of active play
- It improves mental development and later school performance
- It improves strength, stamina and skill of skeletal muscles
- It helps in improving toddlers’ competence and coordination skills
- Children who enjoy physical activity, through gaining competence and confidence, are more likely to continue to participate in it as they get older
- It gives them a break between periods of learning
- It helps to maintain normal body weight in toddlers
Source:
Physical activity and play for toddlers[Internet]. Available at: https://infantandtoddlerforum.org/media/upload/pdf-downloads/4877_Factsheet_3.4_Physical_Activity_and_Play_ITF204_v11.pdf. Accessed on Feb 13, 2020.