This time of year many adults set a goal to develop more healthy eating habits and increase their level of exercise.  Experts agree ‘obesity is taking a terrible toll among adults, and if the epidemic of obesity in children continues, there’s no question that it will shorten the lifespan of future generations’.

        Child Health Alert, 2005

Clearly, movement is very important for helping children grow healthy and strong.  And there’s a bonus!  As children explore and interact with the world through movement and action, they are also developing thinking and communication skills, as well as self-confidence. 

If you’ve ever quietly watched a 3 year old try to get to the cookies in the kitchen cabinet you know children learn problem-solving skills as they try different actions—climbing up, over, in, and through!  Children feel competent both physically and emotionally when they use their bodies to communicate and solve problems.  Movement is also one of the earliest ways children express their thoughts and feelings—think of the climbing and jumping exhibited by a little guy wanting up from a nap!       

Perhaps most important, through movement children can develop a closer bond with their parents.  There are many fun ways you can encourage your little ones to get moving.

• Follow their movements - even if it feels silly.  Babies and toddlers love it when you imitate them.  It makes them feel important.  And remember a good giggle is good for you too.

• Put your baby on her belly to help her develop coordination between upper and lower body and support muscle and motor development. 

• Put on different types of music and move to the beat with your young child in your arms.  Encourage your toddler to move to music on his own.  Remember Elaine’s dancing on Seinfeld?  Children this age often do not change their movements to match the music, they respond to their own internal rhythm—and that’s OK. 

• Create an obstacle course that encourages your toddler to use a variety of skills.  Have boxes set up for him to climb through, pillows to climb on, blocks to run around.  Doing the course over and over helps your child to organize his actions to reach a goal. 

•  Songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider can help develop the use of hands and fingers that later will tie shoes, zip pants, and button coats.

•  Act out stories using movement.  Good themes include animal stories (Lions, tigers, and bears!  Oh my!), marching bands, and fantasy images such as fairies, pirates, and superheroes.