Slim Down Secrets: Create a lifetime of fitness starting with your toddler

Anyone who has been around a toddler knows they have endless energy, so it may seem a little unusual to think they might need structured exercise.

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, toddlers should engage in at least 30 minutes of daily structured physical activity and at least 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity.

The report goes on to say toddlers should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.

So make sure you teach your toddler fun fitness habits.

No you don’t have to put them on the treadmill, or make them do aerobics. Just make it fun, colorful and simple and they will love it!

Certified Personal Trainer Lorrie Henry says the most important thing you can do is embrace your child’s free spirit.

Toddlers can learn everything from stretching to jumping jacks, but let them hop, skip, jump, and roll. It is all part of the exercise.

As toddlers grow and develop they move from crawling to walking, and sometimes that means they are on their tippy toes.

Henry says it is OK to let them continue to do all of these things.

When they are playing with push and pull toys it is keeping their upper body development strong, and when they are walking on their tippy toes it is helping to develop strong leg muscles, which means strong bones.

Henry says don’t be afraid to teach your toddlers all the fun muscles and movements of their bodies, they love experimenting to see what they can do.

According Henry, the most opportune time to develop a lasting relationship and love of fitness with their toddler is when they develop the skills to walk.

Once a child begins school Henry says the focus quickly shifts from free movement and play to more structured learning and education.

So while your child is still a toddler, she suggests you take advantage of their love of repetition, and teach them the fun muscles of their body and different movements.

According to Henry, it will help develop a daily routine of fitness that will create a strong and healthy body and a fitness routine they can hold on to for the rest of their life.

Bubbles or Balloon fun
Bubbles and Balloons are great for indoor play. They move slowly enough to be chased and are relatively easy to catch. This is a great game to hand with hand-eye coordination skills.

Zoo Game
Crawl like a bear, leap like a frog, hop like a bunny, gallop like a horse, run fast like a cheetah, wiggle like a spider and walk like a duck. A great way for your toddler to learn all kinds of fun, free movement and this will engage both upper and lower body muscles and help develop coordination. It is always fun to play with the tempo and pace, to see how your toddler responds.

Walk With Me or Catch Me if You Can
Toddlers love to be chased or even love to chase you. This is one of the best ways of building up your toddler's stamina — and can be a great way to tucker them out right before naptime!

Don’t forget about the traditional games we remember playing as kids, Simon Says, and Duck Duck Goose. Both are great physical activity for children.