Physical activity is important for children of all ages. It’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle at every stage of life. Children at this age are usually unstoppable during all waking hours - they crawl, walk, learn to run and jump, kick a ball and pull games after them. They can usually walk up and down stairs and learn to ride a tricycle. They will run from object to object and it might be hard for you to keep up! It’s hard to emphasize enough the importance of physical activity at this age. Allow your child to run around instead of staying at home.
As far as TV goes, the recommendation is no TV at all until the age of 3. Even after the age of 2, it’s better to keep screen time to a minimum. Instead, encourage your children to play inside or outside the house. Help them by creating opportunities to play with other children, whether siblings or other kids their age.
While walking, don’t automatically sit your child in the stroller - let them walk next to you if they want. You can find an opportunity for physical activity in almost any daily activity. Make sure your child’s kindergarten has time for physical activity, with as little screen time as possible and of course that keeps your child’s safety a priority during game time.
Last updated: May 2017
Authors - Judah Freedman BA MED, Dr. Yair Sadaka MD Ph.D., pediatrician, Pediatric neurologist
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