Development Interests for Parents
Fast Facts
On the run? Need inspiration or insight about your kids? Read these quick tips about playtime ideas and find out some interesting facts about child development.
Do you know what play is?
You may be surprised when you learn that play is defined as any activity that your child FREELY chooses to do. As in, they are playing when they are doing what they want to do without any interference – such as lessons or instructions – from you. Children learn best through their own-self directed discovery and this happens best during play. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be playing with them. Au contraire! Play alongside them – just try to leave the lessons out of their play!
Not surprisingly, there is a direct correlation between screen time and fitness.
Children who spend a lot of time in front of a TV (or video or computer) screen tend to be less physically fit and show less interest in physical activity.
Did you know that experts recommend that children between the ages of 5 and 18 spend at least one hour per day participating in a moderately physical activity, such as walking, dancing, swimming or cycling?
Yet children’s activity levels drop off dramatically as they reach their teen years. Lack of activity in childhood can lead to increase in obesity, depression, heart disease and many health issues as adults. Raise healthy children by giving them opportunities to stay active.
Active parents lead to active kids.
In fact, children who are physically active are three times more likely to have parents who are physically active. So whether you go to the gym or you are a weekend warrior playing your favourite sport, invite your kids to come along to watch! Seeing you active will inspire and encourage them to be active too!
There are many pros and cons with respect to using floatation devices, such as arm bands and bubbles, when teaching your kids how to swim.
Children using these types of swimming aids can sometimes become dependent on them, causing them to be too afraid to try to swim. Flotation devices also tend to support children vertically, instead of horizontally, which is not conducive to learning good swimming positioning. Regardless of your choice to use or not to use flotation devices, always remember that a floatation device is not a substitute for adult supervision.