Physical activity for young children

Daily physical activity: focusing on fun

When you’re choosing physical activity for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, focus on activities that are fun.

If children enjoy what they’re doing, they’re more likely to want to keep doing it. And physical activities that children enjoy will increase their confidence and ability to move well.

Physical activity is vital to your child’s healthy growth and development. And it can start very early in life as part of your child’s everyday play.

Physical activity for children 0-2 years

Before baby can walk

Even tiny babies like to stretch and play. A large blanket on the floor (or on the grass outside) for tummy time can be a safe, clean and welcoming place for babies to practise lifting their heads. This helps them develop strong muscles.

A blanket on the ground or floor is also a great place for baby to learn to roll, creep, crawl and sit. Put a toy or object just out of reach for the fun of trying to get it.

Things to grab and hold, like old boxes, make tummy time fun. Bright colours, drawings of dots, squares or stars, shiny surfaces, changing textures and different sounds can also interest your child.

You can also encourage your baby to look, clap, reach or move to sound – try talking, singing, rhyming or action games like pat-a-cake and peekaboo.

If you’re putting your baby on the floor, just remember to look for potential hazards down at baby’s level. Stay with your baby to keep things safe.

When baby starts to walk

Once your child is walking, you can encourage her just by letting her move often.

This is a great time to look for objects and activities that encourage movement – for example, climbing steps at home (with supervision!).

Physical activity for children 2-5 years

Toddlers and preschoolers need plenty of free time and space to just run around and play, at home, in your neighborhood, anywhere safe, supervised and fun.

Here are some ideas for keeping physical activity fun:

• Use large, soft balls to practise catching, hitting, bouncing and kicking. When spaces aren’t safe for balls, some rolled-up socks can be good for this activity.
• Make up games that involve different types of movement--chasing, walking a chalk line, jumping over puddles.
• Play different kinds of music, or make sounds with your voice or instruments.
• You could play guess the animal games, where you run like a monkey, jump like a bunny, flap like a bird and so on.
• When your child is ready, let her try learning to ride a bike, scooter or tricycle – under your supervision, of course. She might also enjoy playing with push toys like trucks, doll prams and toy lawn mowers.