Structured physical activity

Since I am off sick (and my own kids are ransacking the livingroom while I sit huddled in a blanket), I have been doing a bit of research on toddler development, etc. I have read a few articles now that indicate that the current recommendation is that toddlers 12-36 months get a minimum of 30 minutes of structured physical activity and at least 60 minutes or several hours of unstructured activity. Now, the unstructured activity requirement is no problem because my toddlers are always moving and get outside time, etc. For the structured, I am not sure that I have been meeting that every day. It can include things like dancing, ball play, jumping, rolling, etc., which we do, but I don't think I've been providing 30 minutes every day. Does anyone implement this? Any ideas of activities? I like the idea of it :yes:

My guys get tons of the unstructured play too, but I do have the 20-30 minutes of structured each day as well. It seems more like play so they don't realize that its a 'structured activity' though :) The easiest one I have is the hop like a bunny, slither like a snake, jump like a frog etc etc. We also do head/shoulders/knees and toes everyday too. I also have 'music' time every afternoon after naps as well (just before afternoon snack) where the kids all dance. Sometimes we add 'items' to our dancing like ribbons, home made batons etc. Kids love it :)

I try to do 1 - 2 sessions over the day that involve a physical skill. It could be hopping like a bunny if we have read a bunny story or two feet together jumping into a pretend frog pool. We do body awareness songs - like head and shoulders or similar and make arm circles or bend to touch toes, etc. I try to do one session that involves a piece of equipment such as bean bags, balls, etc. Things like just standing back and tossing them into a basket.

Personally I don't worry about the active time because my kids run around when they freeplay as compared to the kind that sit to do a puzzle or read a book or stand in the kitchen centre and cook. Mine push the big trucks around and around the house, make cars go down the track and flip off and go chase them so they make their own active play.

At the same time I think it is important to start to teach skills to the kids like bouncing, tossing, catching, rolling balls, - start with beanbags more forgiving. Jumping, standing on one foot, all of the skills that are expected of a 3-5 year old need to be started as 2-3 year olds. It is a good time to identify kids that have skill/balance issues.

Sorry to hear you are home doing the be sick thing. No fun at all.

Thanks Playfelt. It truly is awful...I haven't been this sick maybe ever! I hate being sick and I hate having to close my daycare, but I've had a fever and chills for three days now and tomorrow is looking like another closed day. I feel so bad doing this to the parents, but I can barely minimally care for my own kids (thank goodness they are good at entertaining themselves...althoug h they sure do make a mess!). Maybe I will get a flu shot next year.

I have talked to quite a few caregivers that have had a combination of cold and flu sort of at the same time and have been extremely sick - Barrhaven area friends seem to have it the worst. Have had a couple daycare parents have some time off sick and have said it is going around work. Not sure whatever this is that a flu shot would have made a difference because all were lamenting that they got a shot and everything and still got sick.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one...I guess misery loves company! I have always wondered if a flu shot would even help...so maybe I was right. I let myself get too run down, so I think it is hitting me harder than it normally would. My 3 year old is sick too :( Luckily he is just revelling in being allowed to watch TV all day long...he's easier when he's sick!

I don't think it truly matters whether it is unstructured or structured, as long as it is physical activity. Take a look when the daycare is open. I'm sure they are getting more than the total hour and a half of physical activity required

I agree that it should not matter if it is structure verses unstructured as long as they are actually BEING active ... I think the push for the 'structure' is that because more and more children while 'outside' are SITTING instead of being active ... if you look at a school playground for example they may be outside for 'recess' but dozens of them are all sitting around playing handheld video games so if that 'unstructured time' is ALL they are getting in their allotment of physical activity in the school day there is no way they are meeting the requirement hence the rise in 'obesity' in our country!

Weather permitting we are outside engaged in 'active play' at least 60 minutes a day at the park climbing, running, sliding and using our body big, we are engaged in 60 minutes of 'outdoor play' in the backyard however it is not as 'active' because the space is smaller and I have sensory bins and other motor activity options in the yard as a focus .... in addition to this time because I do have kids who will go to the park and 'sit' under neath and play with the sand verses being 'active' so I also do a 30 minute 'gross motor group time' with the kids in the morning where we play the games like Sleeping Bunnies, Head and Shoulders, Zoom Zoom Zoom going to the moon, Hokey Pokey we play games like What time is it Mr Wolf or Duck Duck goose or we bring out the parachute for games and other things to get their heart rates AND MINE up for a consistent 30 minutes in the day.

I agree that structured or unstructured, what matters is that children are moving, playing, using their imaginations and not just sitting still unless they are looking at books or crafting and creating. Even if I let my daycare children have a tv show for a rare treat now and then they don't sit still long and are up and playing before you know it. I ask them if they want to watch the rest of their show or play with the toys and they always answer 'PLAY' so they have never watched an entire dvd or even 1/2 hour tv show.

Kanga, I hope you feel better soon, our city has been hit hard too and we've all been talking about the problem with the extra germs this year since in Ontario we didn't get our winter. The germs just kept going around. I've been feeling rotten except for a couple of days since Jan. hit! I feel for you sweetie!

I'm wondering if the article you were reading is a 'get the children ready for the structure of jk' type article. Yes, we all do a type of circle time or dancing/songs/games and I think that's good enough to teach the children that sometimes it's important to listen and learn. Otherwise, play is play no matter where or what they are doing.

Some of those articles I think are written with the idea that if the adult has to be involved too that the child is really doing something active as compared to just playing. But anyone who sees my gang play will see very busy kids. If anything I have to slow them down and give them an extra drink to offset the business. They aren't wild just busy - well a little more wild than I would like but most are boys. Too often structured means take them to gymboree or enrol them in dance or some other formal setting rather than just teach your child to jump from tile to tile in the kitchen which is sufficient for a toddler.

Playfelt, you said in another thread you have all boys right? No wonder your crew is busy, busy! Although I have a 3 year old girl in my daycare that none of the boys can catch, she's so athletic and fast. But I agree with you, parents may need to sign children up for structured activities, but for us, the daily routines are good enough. I know that one of my daycare parents always ask me how I can get their son to nap because he absolutely will not nap at home. I have been saying for 3 years that routine and a lot of morning activity does the trick.

Lots of good discussion here! I feel better now because I definitely get the kids out and doing active stuff every day...it was the "structured" part I wasn't sure about. I may try to do more structured physical activities now though until we are outside all the time in the summer.

I would interpret structure to mean planned as in for a portion of the day things are set up in such a way that for sure the child is being active be it a game, a walk around the block, dancing to a video or whatever rather than just assuming because music was playing that they were active dancing.

Also since we deal with such a small number of kids we know which ones are active and which ones aren't and can plan accordingly as compared to as someone mentioned assuming the kids out for recess are getting more than just fresh air when they are still being sedentary instead.