Kids and Motion
Others with small children struggling at this time? This entire home-care-while-working thing has me conflicted. On one side, I love having so much time with the kids. My youngest is now talking more and more and is a really exciting age (just under 2 years). It’s great to have 24 hour access. Our family becomes closer, both us and the kids, but also the kids in between. It’s just them and each other.
But, and this is a major but, we are also under pressure. It’s difficult to work and continually engage the youngsters. They are too small to fit. They have a lot of fights and need more entertainment than we can give them now that we have to work. Noah needs to play with his peers.
I know things might be worse, but this isn’t a hernia post. We are now very well off with employment, etc. The post would be useful for ideas for activities and entertainment at home with the kids now that they are so settled. Children and movement go hand in hand, therefore I hope you can spend some time here.
Obstacle Courses and Games
We’ve been enjoying the great weather by playing in the garden, walking, throwing stones and playing on the playground. We played ball, king games, save (finding anything to save) and obstacle courses in the garden.
These obstacle courses are great since they not only entertain the youngsters but also help their growth. They can be built inside as well, but outside usually has more air and room. It lets kids run, ride bikes or scooters, throw balls, etc. I started by making one for Noah, and then we switched and he made one for me. It’s just as much fun to devise a course. Here are some examples of course content:
- Jump over anything, preferably with your legs together if you can. Maybe a one-leg jump.
- walk on the internet or another slightly shaky surface: improve balance
- backtrack
- race
- reversal
- hit with a ball
Children and Movement: a Win-Win
These courses not only entertain but also help the child’s motor abilities. Movement is plainly important in children’s lives and helps them develop physically, cognitively, and socially. Exercise benefits the heart, joints, and muscles. It is especially useful to children’s neurological systems, coordination, and motor abilities. The same goes for their sense of self-worth, curiosity, responsibility, and creativity. So encourage kids to get out every day, even if we are at home. Make movement enjoyable so they want to move. Adjust the difficulty so they are challenged, but not overwhelmed, so they gain confidence.
Smaller Child’s Play
They are naturally busy as tiny children. They are interested, confident, and trusting of others. Here, the youngster needs to be supported, guided, explored, and safe. They have mastered most basic movement patterns but lack fine motor skills and coordination. Make the movement fun and low-impact, challenging the child’s balance, strength, fitness, and coordination. The more basic motor abilities they learn now, the easier it will be to learn new sports later. The heart of a healthy youngster can readily handle the demands of play and sports. Children recover rapidly from exertion, whereas adults get very exhausted keeping up with them. So go for it with these tracks.
