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“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. “John F. Kennedy
Hello again,
Today I wish to concentrate in this post on the importance of active play, especially active indoor toys for toddlers and the importance of balance and gross motor skills.
After some important information, I will list my 5 selected Active indoor toys I picked for you for toddlers.
I will write later on another post about Outdoor Active Play when weather allows it but today, I’d like to concentrate on Active indoor toys.
What is Active Play & Gross Motor Skills?
Active Play is basically all activities that require our body to move, especially our arms, legs, whole body.
With every age and stage children learn and master new motor skills. Gross motor skills involve large muscle planning and coordination like walking, running and skipping. These skills are used in everyday life, providing children with the abilities they need to explore and interact with the world around them.
Gross Motor Skills involve using coordination and large muscles to climb up the ladder and then slide down the slide. Agility and balance are used to walk across the balance beam.
Learning to harness the power of those muscles to run, jump, throw, catch, and kick is key to the healthy growth of their bodies and brains. It’s also fun.
Muscle-moving play doesn’t have to take up a ton of room. Given just a little floor space, your child can still enjoy skill-building activities inside.
Based on NDFA (Neuro Developmental Functional Approach) , fine motor skills (used later on for writing-see post about it HERE) are based on Gross motor skills and this is another reason why it is important to develop Gross motor skills and work on those.
What is NDFA?
I happened to study this program for a year while I was pregnant with my 2nd daughter. This, in turn, has helped me when raising my children. The neuro developmental-functional approach relates to the development of human functions and specializes in deep understanding and promotion of movement functions, sensory regulation, attention and concentration, learning, communication and language, social and more.
The approach refers to the child as a developing and dynamic being, whose functions are a kind of building blocks that must be built on top of one another in order to develop and nurture his skills and behavior. The functions are determined by the interplay between the hereditary and structural factors the child brings with him – and the influence of the environment in which he lives and his experiences.
The role of the approach is to identify the contributing experiences most efficiently to develop the necessary basic functions, and to apply them as needed.
Benefits of Active Indoor Toys for Toddlers?
- BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
It helps to boost the immune system – your child’s natural defense against colds and germ bugs.
Staying active also lowers cholesterol and improves the metabolism of carbohydrates – both of which help to prevent obesity and diabetes. Improved fitness is another given, helping your children build endurance.
Exercise can also strengthen your child’s bones and muscles.
EFFECTS ON THE MIND AND BRAIN
Exercise has been shown to help the brain to develop, with better mental functioning and improved memory. Fun exercise like active play also burns off harmful hormones while encouraging the release of happy ones – the equivalent of a “runner’s high”, or endorphins.
Kids who exercise regularly have been proven to have better concentration, even at the end of a long school day. And perhaps most importantly, it improves self esteem and confidence.
- Fun PLAY
It’s an ideal way to get your children moving as they run, jump, swing and clamber their way across the soft play area.
- COGNITIVE STIMULATION
Sensory stimulation is also beneficial to the healthy development of children.
Toys facilitate physical development by triggering and repeating the play response.
Here are 5 toys that can help with gross motor skill development:
…and of course we should not forget the famous Twister game for older children!!
