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As parents and caregivers, are we relying too heavily
on playpens, baby seats, and television? Apparently so!
The first ever, physical activity guidelines for
infants and toddlers has been developed by the National Association of Sports
and Physical Education (NASPE). The guidelines were not only developed out of
concern for childhood obesity, but also for the concern of correct physical and
cognitive development of our infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Many
professionals believe that sedentary activities can delay developmental
milestones such as rolling over, climbing, and hand-eye coordination, just to
name a few. Therefore, infants should be encouraged to be physically active from
the beginning of life.
In this most recent study, NASPE has provided 5
guidelines in two age categories, for the parents, caregivers, teachers and
health care professions of infants and children under three. These guidelines
address the types of physical activity and environments children should be
exposed to.
Infant Guidelines:
1. Infants should interact with parents and/or caregivers in daily physical
activities that are dedicated to promoting the exploration of their environment.
2. Infants should be placed in safe settings that facilitate physical activity
and do not restrict movement for prolonged periods of time.
3. Infants' physical activity should promote the development of movement skills.
4. Infants should have an environment that meets or exceeds recommended safety
standards for performing large muscle activities.
5. Individuals responsible for the well being of infants should be aware of the
importance of physical activity and facilitate the child's movement skills.
Toddler & Preschooler Guidelines:
1. Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes daily of structured physical
activity; preschoolers at least 60 minutes.
2. Toddlers and preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to
several hours per day of daily, unstructured physical activity and should not be
sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping.
3. Toddlers should develop movement skills that are building blocks for more
complex movement tasks; preschoolers should develop competence in movement
skills that are building blocks for more complex movement tasks.
4. Toddlers and preschoolers should have indoor and outdoor areas that meet or
exceed recommended safety standards for performing large muscle activities.
5. Individuals responsible for the well being of toddlers and preschoolers
should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the
child's movement skills.
Increasing your child’s physical activity, according
to the guidelines, should be enjoyable and fun so as to ensure future healthy
development. Your baby’s/child’s playtime is ideal as they won’t realize what
they are doing is actually good for them. It’s the old oatmeal cookie versus
just the oatmeal theory. They will get all the benefits of developmental
exercise while having a wonderful time playing. Another important rule to always
keep in mind, the activities performed should be age appropriate for your child.
To help you know what physical and play activities are best for your baby/child,
many professionals have put together this information and offer it in a variety
of formats.
“Mommy & Me” classes offer personal instruction in a
class setting for playing with baby/child. Their fun activities provide fun play
exercises and often make use of play equipment not found in most homes or
playgrounds. Classes are generally offered at a variety of days and times for
convenience and the cost runs anywhere from $400 to $800 per year. Classes can
be found in your local newspapers or Family Magazines. Nationally run programs
include Kid Concepts USA, Gymboree Play and Music.
Parenting Videos provide parents with age appropriate
play exercise programs to stimulate and teach your baby/child. These videos
provide similar instruction as the “Mommy & Me” classes however they make use of
equipment that can be found in most homes or the local playground. A wonderful
aspect of videos is their ability to be played over and over as well as shared
with baby’s/child’s other caregivers such as grandparents, baby-sitters, and
siblings. At around $15 per video, the cost is relatively inexpensive. Good
parenting videos can be found at www.amazon.com
or your local library. One example of appropriate videos is Baby Playtime’s
series of Parenting Videos. It is important to note the videos we describe here
are not videos designed for the baby/child to sit and watch, of which there are
numerous on the market, which compound the sedentary activities we are seeing in
our infants.
Another resource for parents to learn about physical
activities through play is the abundance of literature on the subject including
the NASPE Guidelines document. You can find numerous books and how-to guides at
your local library or favorite bookstore. Reading information allows you to
incorporate your own style based on the advice of professionals. Incorporating
the information you find with the videos described above, or with a Mommy & Me
class, may prove to be best for learning how to get and keep your baby/child
physically active.
So go ahead start playing with your infant, toddler or
preschooler today. You are the biggest influence in your baby’s/child’s life and
what you do with them now will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Help
with their physical, emotional and intellectual development now while they are
young. Remember it is never too late to form good habits.
For more information or to purchase a copy of the
NASPE Guidelines, visit their web site at
www.AAHPERD.org or call them at 1-800-321-0789.
Baby Playtime, Inc. series of Playtime videos :
www.babyplaytime.com
or 1-888-205-PLAY
Gymboree Play & Music classes:
www.gymboree.com or 1-800-520-PLAY
Other Helpful
Articles:
NOTE: The article above titled "Play
is Exercise" was provided by a
visitor to "The New Parents Guide" and is the opinion of the author
Lisa De Jesus. The information is not guaranteed to be factual. Always
use the guidance of your child's doctor over information you read on this
site or elsewhere; your doctor knows what is best for your baby.
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