Fun Ways To Introduce Your Under Five To Physical Exercise

There’s no doubt that you understand the importance of physical exercise for your youngster – it keeps them healthy, right? But did you realise that physical exercise is not only useful for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also encourages and stimulates a variety of other benefits for your child? Ensuring that your under five year old gets sufficient exercise each day will go a long way in helping them to develop social skills, improve motor skills, learn how to problem solve, stimulate the brain, and make them feel happier. After all, exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones that make you happy. Here are some fun ways to introduce your youngster to physical exercise, both in and out of nursery.

Balls, hoops, ropes, cones and skittles

To help improve your child’s motor skills, including hand-eye coordination, you should introduce these games to them from a young age. Show them how to have a game of catch – just remember to only use a soft ball – no-one wants to get hurt from using a tennis ball.

Hula hooping can be a really fun way to get daily recommended exercise. Join in with your youngster and show them how fun it is to be silly for a bit. By taking part in these games, your child will learn how to succeed both as an individual and how to work as a team.

Skittles will encourage your child to learn how to bowl correctly. Once they get a bit older and more confident, you’ll be able to take them to a bowling alley and play ten-pin bowling. As well as being great fun for your child – what child doesn’t enjoy knocking items over? – It’ll also show them how to aim properly to knock down those final skittles.

Dancing

Not everyone has a natural affinity for sports, and for some, learning the art of hand-eye coordination can prove difficult. If your child seems to be getting frustrated by not being able to catch a ball, introduce them to dancing instead.

Dancing is great fun, and many people forget that it is still a form of exercise. Put on some lively music and encourage your child to dance freestyle. If your youngster shows an interest in dance, you may wish to enrol them in a dancing school. Ballet is a common style for youngsters, as is ballroom and Latin American, or perhaps you’d prefer to introduce your child to interpretive dance instead, indulging in their creative side.

Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact sport that will stimulate fine motor skills for your youngster. Usually beginners start to learn doggy paddle as this is the simplest style to handle; after which follows breaststroke and once your child becomes more advanced and confident in the water, front crawl. Be sure to invest in armbands for your child for safety reasons. Even if your youngster is still too little to start swimming, they are bound to love splashing around in the water and kicking their legs. If they turn out to love the water, this will also give you plenty of scope when you go on holiday too, as there are many water parks around, as well as the seaside, for your child to enjoy.

This guest piece was contributed by Lesley Sampson, a freelance blogger who believes that Kid Unlimited nurseries are great for furthering your child’s physical development.

Image credit:  tom@hk | ??tomhk on Flickr