Preschoolers are generally curious and energetic and love to explore new things. And, parents are always looking for ways to keep their preschooler active. Though handing them a device might keep them engaged, it will make them inactive. It is recommended for little ones aged 2 to 5 not to spend more than 1 hour in front of a screen (1). Introducing them to multiple activities like games, running, and dancing is the perfect way to keep them engaged away from the screen.
There are multiple ways to keep your preschooler active. However, you must choose one or more activities that align with their interest without causing boredom. You can join your little one in these activities to know the one they favor. This will also help develop a special bond between you and your toddler.
Benefits of Physical Activity in Preschoolers
While many preschoolers spend a significant time of their day glued to the screen, that is robbing them of some benefits associated with their physical and mental development. Your toddler must be physically active for at least 3 hours to stay healthy. Here is how physical activities can benefit your little one:
- Developing strong muscle and bones (2a)
- Improving motor skills, body coordination, and balance (2b)
- Learning social skill
- Building healthy habits and sleeping patterns (3)
- Having confidence in the social setup (4)
- Maintaining a healthy body weight (5)
- Developing concentration and creativity (6)
5 Ways to Keep Preschoolers Active
To encourage your preschoolers to be active, introduce them to diverse fun activities such as running, jumping, and dancing. Here are some ways to keep your preschooler active and also give their mind stimulation:
1. Dancing
When a toddler is engaged in dancing, it uplifts their overall growth. Dancing improves their motor skills and social-emotional skills while promoting body awareness. This can also help develop communication skills and self-expression in preschoolers (7).
2. Get a Pet
Having a pet as a companion can be helpful for the development of your little one. They learn to take responsibility while caring for their furry friend (8a). While the playtime will keep them physically active, the growing affection between the two will foster compassion and improve social skills in your preschooler (8b).
3. Hide And Seek
Hide and seek can be an engaging activity for your toddler that will keep your little one active for hours. Besides strengthening their bones and muscles, it also helps in their sensory engagement and development (9). However, since the activity involves your little one, set some rules and mark the unsafe areas so your little one doesn’t get to hide there. Set a time limit for hiding while supervising the play session.
4. Play Tag
Playing tag is a good way of improving agility and balance in your preschooler. It is a game that does not require any instruction. Generally, toddlers love to sprint around and jump, making or freezing tag for fun. This game is suitable for muscle coordination and learning precision.
5. Build a Fort
Building an indoor fort is a favorite activity of many kids. Building forts facilitates a toddler’s imagination, and helps enhance problem-solving skills in them (10). Being inside their fort can be therapeutic as they often make their imaginary world surrounding it, which gives them a sense of control and comfort.
How to Keep Kids Active During Holidays?
Holidays are a perfect excuse to deviate from the routines, and kids will behave no differently. However, the below ways can help you and your family enjoy a holiday season with activity levels soaring:
- Plan a family vacation to an amusement park or take everyone trekking in the woods (11).
- Involve everyone in a ‘clean the house program’ – this serves a dual purpose! You can even begin an ‘exercise together’ regime (12).
- Gardening can also be a great outdoor hobby—if the season favors, hand your toddlers the shovels and allow them to nurture the plants—thus contributing to nature (13).
- Engage your toddlers in extra-curricular activities like dancing, judo, karate, singing, painting, etc.
- Participate in community programs in your neighborhood—socialize and let kids play with other participants.
Your preschooler needs an opportunity to learn their surroundings. And, what can be better than letting them do it themselves while engaging them in games and creative activities? You can adopt multiple ways to keep your preschooler active and feed their curiosity. Let their enthusiastic and imaginative mind be boundless to make discoveries while announcing them with confidence.
FAQ’s
1. Why do Preschoolers Need to be Active?
When preschoolers are engaged in activities, they experience positive physical and mental growth. Besides improving their muscle coordination and bone strength, these activities also help develop mental steadiness, concentration, and social skills.
2. How Active Should Preschoolers be?
It is recommended for preschoolers to spend at least three hours in some physical activity to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
3. What Are Preschoolers Interested in?
Preschoolers are energetic and curious. Therefore, they prefer music, dance, running, jumping, and playing. Thus, they are interested in those activities that help them to explore their surroundings.
References
- Health direct – https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/benefits-of-physical-activity-for-children
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) – https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/exercise-your-bone-health
- Rodríguez-Negro, J.; Llodio, I.; Yanci, J. Physical Activity Habits and Sleep Duration According to Gender: A Cross-Sectional Study of Elementary School Children. Healthcare 2024, 12, 1400. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12141400 – https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/14/1400
- raisingchildren.net.au – https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/nutrition-fitness/physical-activity/physical-activity-how-much
- Leung AKC, Wong AHC, Hon KL. Childhood Obesity: An Updated Review. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2024;20(1):2-26. doi: 10.2174/1573396318666220801093225. PMID: 35927921. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35927921/
- Österberg, P., & Olsson, B. K. (2021). Dancing: A Strategy to Maintain Schoolchildren’s Openness for Idea Generation. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 92(3), 20–25. – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07303084.2020.1866719
- OC Music & Dance, Written by: Sammi Waugh, Director of Early Childhood Education at OC Music & Dance – https://ocmusicdance.org/blog/the-value-of-music-and-dance-in-your-preschoolers-life
- The benefits of a family pet, Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension – December 14, 2017 – https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_benefits_of_a_family_pet
- Playing Hide and Seek Is Fun and Educational, Author: John Spears, July 5, 2023 – https://adventurouschild.com/playing-hide-and-seek-is-fun-and-educational/
- North Shore Pediatric Therapy – https://www.nspt4kids.com/therapy/the-benefits-of-fort-building
- Pathways.org – https://pathways.org/playing-in-nature/
- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Chores_and_Children-125.aspx
- The Seeds of Learning: Young Children Develop Important Skills through Their Gardening Activities at a Midwestern Early Education Program, Miller, Dana L., Applied Environmental Education and Communication, v6 n1 p49-66 2007 – https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ884681
1 Comment
i like the way you have describe the little things so briefly.