Preventing Childhood Obesity and Having Fun at the Same Time

Exercise for the six month to one year old will be different depending on each child's growth. Some six month olds can sit up, and roll over on their own but others are not ready do to these things until they are nine or ten months old.

My favorite items on this pyramid are the baby horse and duck rockers. They are secure and fun for little ones. The seat cushion is even removable so it can be washed if it gets spit up on.

For stretching, babies naturally do a lot of yoga that adults would struggle with. Check out "Born Yogis" for some ideas.

My other favorite item on this pyramid is the Self Star Mirror. It encourages little ones to start climbing and getting up on those legs to build strength for when they do start walking.

The Exercise Pyramid is a modified version of the food pyramid to help you make sure your child is getting all of the kids of exercise he or she needs. We start the Toddler Exercise Pyramid with what we need to cut down on. The recommendation is to cut down on Thomas the Train but more importantly on TV viewing time in general.

The next category is strength building. For the toddler, it is important to build core strength so that he or she will be able to get around easier with less stumbling. Pictured on our exercise pyramid is the DynaDisc. It is a cushion that you can sit on and stand on and build the muscles that give you balance. Toddlers also find this toy entertaining because it is bright and colorful and has lots of dots that feel funny on their feet.

The next category is stretching. Our pyramid shows the classic game "Twister." Obviously, you will have to modify the game for toddlers, but it can still be a lot of fun just trying to reach for the closest dot, or to see how many dots your toddler can put between his or her legs. This is also a great way to benchmark progress.

Your child should have aerobic exercise 3 to 5 times a week. Aerobic exercise is something that gets the heart going. The plush lamb rocker is soft enough to be toddler friendly, but great for aerobic exercise. Plus, toddlers love to rick.

Recreational activities could include playing "catch" and chasing after a ball, or riding on a toddler friendly tricycle. The mighty wheel tricycle is a great first trike because it has a big front wheel, and its seat is low to the ground. This makes it safer than the traditional tricycle.

Your child should be walking every day but the harness is optional!

Click here if you would like to print and fill out your own Exercise Pyramid.

Click here if you would like to print and fill out your own Exercise Pyramid.

We recommend cutting down on Spongebob Squarepants. He may be entertaining, but he doesn't help children stay fit.

For strength building, the DynaDisc will continue to be a fun toy for preschoolers. Preschoolers can start to count how long they can stay standing on the inflatable cushion. It is even a challenge for mom and dad, but builds great core balance.

For stretching you could do some yoga as a family. Use a Yoga for Kids DVD and you can learn together.

For aerobic and recreational activity bicycles (with training wheels), beautiful
wooden rockers and hop balls are great to get the heart rate up.

Every day your preschooler should be walking, running, playing hide and seek or ring around the rosie to get exercise.

If you would like to create a custom Exercise Pyramid for your Preschooler click here.