Just like how exercising every day is important for adults, it is equally important for our kids too. Your baby needs atleast 60 minutes of self exercise everyday. You can also make it a fun activity by holding their hands & legs and moving them criss-cross while giving your baby a gentle massage in the morning. Why Is Exercise An Inevitable Aspect Of An Infant’s Development? Read further to know why.
I recollect watching my baby admire her cute little fingers. Every time she did, it felt like she is admiring them for the first time; like she is discovering something new about herself (body). This is how toddlers start relating to things around them. This is a very important aspect of infanthood. A child should be left free on the floor to move about as much as possible. Research has proved that children who move about freely & roll on the floor have better loco-motor skills & cognitive abilities. As the baby moves about on the floor, they learn to discover more about themselves, their body & their environment.
That reminds me how my mother insisted to put my darling baby on the floor. The more you want to hug your baby, the more your family persuades you to let the baby move free on the floor. A child learns to crawl quickly, walk faster & most importantly a daily dose of “exercise” makes their bones stronger. Exercise is extremely crucial for an Infant's Development.
Why Is Exercise An Inevitable Aspect Of An Infant’s Development?
Holistic health
As the baby rolls on the floor, their blood circulation improves, they develop fine loco-motor skills, stronger back & stronger bones. Although children need constant monitoring because the inquisitive mind wants to discover newer things, they should be independent for sometime everyday. Let them explore, make mistakes & learn. You may want to consider to child-proof your home by introducing child locks where-ever required (like the drawers or doors) for their safety. Exercising will help them in problem-solving & become more independent later in future. It is believed that children who are let to free play learn to crawl & walk faster than those who are restricted to prams & walkers in confined spaces.
Promotes better sleep
“She sleeps like a baby” - heard that before? You can sleep like a baby only when you exhausted. Toddlers spend most of their day moving about on the floor. Rolling, crawling, walking, stretching to reach out for their toys; basically everything that tires them physically. Well, a good night sleep for your baby is a good night sleep for you too. Isn’t it? Definitely a blessing in disguise when you have had a tiring day running behind you hyper active child all day long.
Fit babies. fit mothers
Kicking arms & legs and going round & round are the best ways to exercise for the baby. By exercising they burn the excessive fat. Research has proved that many children who are obese in their formative years continue to remain over-weight even at their teenage & adulthood. Gift the priceless bundle of good health to your bundle of joy. Moreover, as a concerned mother you will also tend to bend more, run more & in turn work out more, which will help you shed those extra kilos you have gained through your pregnancy. Save on those extra bucks you were planning to spend on the gym. Thank you little brat. You will shed them without the hassle of travelling to the gym everyday.
Promotes digestion
Infants especially between 0-5 months tend to get colicky and cry all night. Free play can alleviate gastric problems & indigestion thus promoting digestion. The food gets digested quickly and absorbed by the body. This is why you should encourage babies to move about as much as they can.
Promotes cognitive ability
Exercising regularly is crucial for cognitive functioning in kids. Longer attention spans & better grades – these are few marked benefits of playing about yourself. You can spread some toys on the floor for you little one to move about and try to grab one of their choice. Children can get bored of a particular toy easily and hence an array of toys & teethers can keep them occupied.
Carrying your baby around can also cause the occurrence of varicose veins in women which can be very painful and irreversible in many cases. It’s an indisputable fact that children need their daily dose of exercise. Ever wondered why is their body so flexible? This is because they keep moving around all the day. And while they are enjoying discovering newer things you can utilize this time by doing the chores or cooking or taking a nap while there is someone else monitoring your baby. Really, did you just hear the word ”nap”? Yes, you did. It can’t get better than this.
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A doting mom to an angel, Social Media Specialist & Professional Blogger. She loves to share her thoughts with other parents in the same turbulent boat. She absolutely loves & adores her family & is learning to strike a good work-life balance. When she is not writing, cooking or busy taking care of her toddler, she probably is dancing to some good desi music!