Fun Workouts for Moms with Toddlers
Remember the time when we were stuck in for days on end during the lockdown, with nothing to do? Well, some people made the most of it, and ‘exercised’!
That being said, a toddler is going to spend a good deal of time within the confines of their home. Why not get them to indulge in some valuable exercise with you, and burn off all that excessive energy?
In this article we have curated a list of the best workouts for moms with toddlers. Are you ready to workout with your infant and get their hearts pumping alongside yours?
Enjoyable Ways to Exercise with your Toddler
Looking to exercise with your rambunctious toddler, with a view to running down their energy? Here are some ways of doing exercise with your kids that are bang for the buck!
Throwing a dance party
Searching for how to workout with a newborn? Just dance! You can get goofy together by doing silly dance moves as the two of you groove along to your favourite beats. Dancing is surely one of the best ways to get rid of excess energy in kids, and what’s more, it’s a great stress-buster, too!
Tip: You might wish to create a small space that serves as a ‘stage’ for your toddler, to make it even more fun. At that age, the last thing they have is ‘stage fright’!
Stretching in Unison
Most people underestimate the power of stretching. In fact, most intensive workouts begin with stretching. This makes for a fun, low-impact way to exercise with your toddler.
Tip: You might wish to engage in eye contact with your little one while stretching, to garner a sense of interaction with them. Also, count out the seconds as you stretch, so they can hear your voice.
Learning a Yoga Pose
Doing exercise with your kids need not be boring! You can make it a whole lot of fun by engaging in cool Yoga Poses for kids. They will be thrilled to learn poses like Pigeon, Down Dog and Warrior. Not only are these poses fun for children to learn, but they will also benefit them physically and emotionally.
Tip: before doing a complete yoga flow with your toddler, you might want to start by teaching them one pose per day.
Baby Lifts
A great way to keep the baby moving and get some valuable exercise for yourself too, this one. When you are standing or squatting, lift the baby to your head height or perhaps even higher. Ensure you lift slowly and only in a position where you feel steady. Then repeat, as you lift the baby up and down.
Tip: Make it a point to twist from side to side, to work on different parts of your core. Note: You want to do this exercise only if your baby is independently able to support their head.
Create an Obstacle Course
No, you’re not training them for the army! It’s easy to create an obstacle course right within the environs of your home. All you need is to put together some common objects you will find in your house, like some big cardboard boxes and blankets that you can drape over chairs. Your child will love exploring, going in, under and around the items you have assembled.
Tip: You can even give them simple instructions like ‘Throw the ball in the box’, to work on their language and listening skills, alongside their gross motor development.
Baby’s Day Out
Sometimes, all you and your little one need is a whiff of fresh air. Take them for a stroll around town. You want to do this in places that are relatively quiet and where there is not all that much traffic. You can do lunges as you walk with your toddler, or simply jump along with them. Needless to say, this one makes for great exercise for both parent and toddler.
Play Soccer
Have a backyard? Soccer is a great game to play with little kids, as it gets them to run around and enjoy kicking the ball, regardless of whether it is going in that ‘goal’ or not. What’s more, it can even be played within the confines of those four walls.
Tip: You might wish to have them see some virtual instructions that will help make that game of soccer even more entertaining for them.
Tummy Time Hold
Need to shed some tummy flab? Try this! Getting on your back, lift your legs in a table top position so that the lower half of your legs make for a flat surface for the baby to lie on. Then, let them get that ‘Tummy Time’ by placing them on your legs, tummy side down. If you can, indulge in some light crunches so that your face comes closer to the baby’s.
Note: Ensure you always keep your hands on the baby, for safety and support.
Doing Bear Crawls
Want to become one with nature while at home? Try and do some fun bear crawls with your toddler. Needless to say, crawling on the floor like a bear alongside you is going to get them laughing hard. What’s more, when you are crawling on all fours, you are working out almost every muscle in the body.
Tip: Make this even more fun by seeing who can roar like a bear the loudest!
Try a Workout Video
The great thing about workout videos is that many of them are a mere 10 minutes. This just about fits the attention span of your toddler! They will love doing exercise moves with you as you both follow the instructions in the video. The really great thing about this is, it gets them to inculcate healthy habits while not having to leave home at all.
At EuroKids we believe that physical activity should be encouraged right from an early age, as it benefits a child’s development. Besides enjoying the wonderful benefits that a regular exercise regime provides them, fit kids are able to sleep better and even perform better academically.
