What do you consider to be sufficient physical activity for your toddlers?

[~inbalance~]

I always struggle with knowing whether or not my boys are getting enough activity.     The recommendation is at least 1hr a day of physical activity, but what counts?  I do not have overly energetic children, so I find it hard to know if they are getting enough.  Some kids very obviously need to be run around to burn off energy, but mine just aren't like that.  A day or two inside and they are no different than if they had been out and about.  But I know that despite this, it is good for them to be active and I do try.  So I take DS1 (3yrs) to these different things at the Y several times a week.  When I take him to all sport, he hardly participates!  If he runs around for a few minutes, then he is done.  The other day I took DS2 (20mos) to active tots, he ran around for about 15mins then asked to leave!  When outdoors, they want to explore and check out every little thing rather than run.  I take them for walks (DS2 still in the stroller so he isn't even getting exercise, just fresh air at least), and DS1 is literally the world's slowest walker.  He dawdles so badly that I almost feel like I can't count the walk as exercise!  Right now DS2 doesn't get to move around much when we're outside, because if I do let him down to walk he is all bundled up in his snowsuit and can only just waddle.  He doesn't particularly enjoy this and often cries to go back inside.    So what is enough?  Does it become more important as they get older?  Is less than an hour a day ok for less physical kids?  Just wondering what others do to get their LOs enough activity (especially when outdoor time is limited, like now in the winter here ).  Sometimes I just break out an old mattress or let the cushions off the couch and the bounce away inside, but even then only for a few minutes and then they are done. 

[j.and.e]

We do swim or softplay if the kids r energetic but weather horid. Scooter ride is gd 4a trip out and burn off energy. We do dancing or run about inside too, or an obstacle course (with chairs etc) xx

[clazzat]

I think tbh you should just let your kids take the lead. To my mind the recommendation is more to make sure that you don't coop your kids up in front of the tv all day, rather than to insist that they run flat out for an hour, yk? My children aren't particularly energetic either - they need to get out and about, but it doesn't need to be anything physical - and I tend to just go with what they want. I normally find that if they haven't had enough exercise for a couple of days then they don't sleep too well, so I then try to get them some more. I also think that wandering around the house counts as physical activity - really anything that isn't just sitting - so I find myself wondering how you stop your toddler doing an hour of physical activity a day on that basis!

[j.and.e]

Lol i'd b impresd if my toddlers sat still 4an hr... Xx

[~inbalance~]

Mine could sit all day if I let them!  But makes sense Clare, they are probably doing loads more than I think just by being toddlers!

[Lana]

I wouldnt worry about tbh.  just keep giving them opportunities to be active and let them get on with it.   they are probably more active than you think

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I should try to find it but I heard about this study where they had some big athletes, football players or something, follow around a toddler and do exactly what he was doing. They lasted about an hour or something and were exhausted!  Our kids are always on the move.  ITA with Clare that I think the recommendation is there so that you remember to try to get them moving but if they're not particularly into it, I wouldn't push.  We spend lots of days at home in the house.  We do a lot of dancing and going room to room doing different activities, etc.  We did just get a little slide that I put in the playroom, which Austin can do 50 times in a row so I'll count that!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I think Spencer and I do the stairs a hundred times a day...that should cover it!  We don't get outside much in the winter for play, but my kids spend every waking minute bouncing around. If they stop moving, they must be sick! I wouldn't be too worried about it myself.

[Erin M]

Dd1 is like that -- though she does move around the house quite a bit.  Dd2 never stops moving!  We go to the mall a lot when the weather is bad so she can run around.  Even going to the grocery store and walking all around is activity. 

[~inbalance~]

Thanks everyone, I feel much better about it now!  For some reason I had it in my head that they had to be participating in a lot of classes or sports or something, it's easy to forget that sometimes everyday life itself is full of activity for small children.    Whenever I would see those Participation commercials, it always had the mom saying something like "Sure, my Johnny goes to soccer twice a week, that's enough right?" then she would get nailed in the head with a soccer ball and they narration would say "Kids need at least 1hr a day of physical activity".    It probably makes a difference what age they are too, I mean my 20mo and my 3yr probably wouldn't be interested in soccer games just yet, yk?

Anyways, I think we're doing ok.  I always feel worse about it in the winter too, especially since they are little and winter sports aren't quite as easy to do (though T is starting to get into skiing, and I hope to take them sledding and skating soon).  When they are older I'm sure they will be more into winter sports when it's easier for all of us to do.

Actually our mornings are really busy, and we do a lot, so often I don't feel like doing anything in the afternoons and we stay in.  But then I feel guilty for staying in, even though we spent the whole morning out and TBH it's not a bad thing to stay in and wind down sometimes.  I will admit on those days where we don't go out, they do get to watch a bit more tv than most but at the same time we try to do fun things to like run around the house and jump on the couch (yes, I let them jump on the furniture! lol)

But we did manage to get out every afternoon this week except Friday, and did something fun everyday.  I did remember too that T gets to play outside for 20mins before school starts every day, so that counts too.  Yesterday morning they both had swimming classes, and we spent the whole morning at the Y, then this morning we went to the gymnastics club.  So I think we're in good shape. 

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I think those ads are more geared towards school age kids really-they are the ones stuck at a desk all day and maybe only doing one sport as their only physical activity and not getting any at home with their family.

[katyusha]

Agree with all the others. Just about the snow suit comment you made, it is much harder to move with bulky clothes and in the snow. But then by definition you burn off more calories. It is like cross country skiing is a harder sport then cycling. It all counts. Moving furniture about, folding the laundry, building a pyramid, playing a ball, dancing, using the stairs, climbing, etc. I used to worry about my DD because she was a bit hesitant in playgrounds and would not do trikes and scooters at nursery. But boy does she like to run. Once I got her a scooter she suddenly did fine with it. It turned out to be more a cautiousness than inactivity.

[~*Nicole*~]

Just found this and have to say that I have those energetic kids who don't tend to sit around. Even in the house, DD is in the attic playroom, in the basement, jumping on her bed, crawling on the floor, outside in the yard, climbing the counter to try to reach a snack. She doesn't know what sitting still is!

DS discovered the stairs about a week ago. If I was worried about his weight gain before, I'm doubly worried now that he's likely burning off more calories than he takes in. Up the stairs a ton of times a day combined with cruising and crawling.

Yeah, I don't need to put them into any classes!!! LOL

I think fresh air and following their lead are great ways to go about it at this age. Sometimes if DD is having a particularly TV oriented day for some reason, I'll suggest freeze dance or something like that. I want to get one of those mini-trampolines and keep it in the basement or something and let her have it all winter LOL.

I bet those swimming classes wear them out!

[~inbalance~]

Thanks!  We've been doing really good at keeping them busy, so I think we're ok!!