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Playtime Workout for Moms and Toddlers 2
By Cindy | November 11, 2007
Children are a constant source of energy. Why not tap into that exuberance and join them during playtime? If you add 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes of playtime to your day, you are sure to build upon your current routines. The benefits are more focused time with your child doing activities they love, multitasking workout and playtime, laughter and good times, and an exhausted child ready to take a nap or participate in a quiet time activity (more time for you to focus on your tasks). In one session, you’ll have played and worked out with your toddler!
With these pointers in mind, you can focus on a full body workout while playing:
- Child’s play is limitless.
- Your focused attention will bring delight and laughter to all who participate.
- Children can wear you out!
- You can wear your children out!
Playtime Workout for Moms and Toddlers
This workout only requires the body. Nursery Rhymes and children’s songs work wonders for the active toddler. Be creative and adjust activities for indoor or outdoor play.
- Wheels on the Bus: This is a great warm up to start your workout. Here’s how you can adjust the hand movements to capitalize on this already active song:
- Pump your arms and walk in place or a circle when you are chanting, “The wheels on the bus go round and round…..all through the town.”
- Raise your arms above your head and stretch them from side to side when you are chanting, “The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…all through the town.” Keep walking in place or a circle.
- Keep your upper arms parallel to the floor and curl your arms in a hitchhiker pose as you walk backwards when you say, “The driver on the bus says move on back…all through the town.”
- With upper arms parallel to the floor, swing your arms from your side toward your chest, aligning your elbows and wrist together when you say, “The doors on the bus go open and shut…all through the town.” Keep moving those legs. The bus hasn’t stopped!
- Rotate you wrists around your eyes when you say, “The baby on the bus goes wahhhh…all through the town.” Switch directions and keep those legs moving. You little ones like to see you fake cry.
- Pump your arms (in sync) along your sides bringing your elbows behind you and forward as you hands come toward your head, and bend down in half squats toward your toddler when you say, “The mommy on the bus goes shush…all through the town.
- Pump your arms and walk in place as you complete the song with, “The wheels on the bus…all through the town.
- Gallop like a horse. Lap around the couch, yard or each other. Make sure to include sounds!!! Switch legs and go the other direction.
- Rope Climbing Abs. Walk your child through their imagination. Lay down on your back and explain that you’re
climbing with a rope. With your hands reaching toward the ceiling, take one hand and place it on top of the other, then pretend like you’re grabbing hold of a rope and reach higher. Bring your shoulders off the ground and continue to reach higher. When you peak, return to the ground slowly scaling down the rope. Keep your toddler entertained by climbing up rocks, the side of the house, a tree, etc. Let their imagination lead the way. * Do as many as you can with your toddler’s attention span. Do not rush, part of the great benefit of this exercise is to slow down and focus on those abs. Keep your lower back on the ground and don’t strain your neck. Stay relaxed.
- Dive bombers with sounds. Stick your caboose in the air. Arms spread wide. Bring your head down toward the ground and between your arms, continue forward beyond your arms and straighten your back as if you’re a plane coming in for a crash landing. You may end the dive by landing on your tummy. For an extra challenge repeat the move in reverse to come back to starting position without touching the ground. Your toddler will love the sound effects and you’ll be sweating and wishing you’d remain “crashed!” These are hard.
- Humpty Dumpty. Sit against the wall in a chair pose. Keep your knees above your ankles, upper leg parallel to floor. Don’t allow your knee to extend over your toes. Sing the song slowly to maintain the pose while Humpty sits on the wall. For the “great fall,” fall forward into a plank position (body parallel to the floor supported by forearms).
- Bunny Bounce. Place arms in front of you and bounce around the couch, yard or circle. Keeping your feet together. Try hopping forward or focus on height and explosive vertical-type jumps. Bounce after your child or let them chase you. Don’t forget to wiggle the nose to be the bunny!
- Jack and Jill. Speed run in place as fast as you can as “Jack and Jill runs up the hill…” Collapse to the ground and let your toddler “tumble after”you (aka. on top). Be ready for giggles and more.
- Repeat the whole cycle or Cool Down.
Cool-Down Stretching is a great opportunity to go over basic body parts. Complete a few basic stretches to include your arms, legs, and abs. Talk your toddler through the moves. You’ll be surprised at how much they understand the different parts of their body!
Go Play Mom! Go Workout Mom!!!
I’d love to hear how you did and what the kiddo’s thought. Leave a comment after your playtime workout to let me know if this was too short, too long, or right out, crazy!
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Topics: Workouts with Kids |
November 11th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
great ideas and I LOVE the picture of the rope climbing abs. Too, too cute!!!
I’ll try these with my little guy this week.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:32 am
I have a great time trying different little “exercise” moves with the little ones. They love to ask and try anything. It’s a lot of fun.
November 16th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
What a fabulous idea to combine a workout with toddler play activities. A great disguise for ‘exercise’ too. Definitely have to Stumble this.
November 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Thanks Karen,
The children and I have alot of fun running around the house coming up with play activities. It makes up for the times that I sit on this computer and get lost in the blogosphere. By the way, my temptation toward Digital Scrapbooking is increasing each time I visit your blog!!! Thanks for the inspiration!
November 25th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
[…] Posey presents Playtime Workout for Moms and Toddlers 2 posted at Go Workout Mom, saying, “Playing with your babies is a great way to incorporate […]
June 16th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I love your ideas! Thanks! I linked to you and wrote a post based on your 1st workout with toddlers…