It’s cold outside, even if it is not snowing. It seems like we have spent most of our time indoors for a few months, now. If you are the parent of an active toddler, then you will probably agree that you miss outdoor play as much as I do. Not only is it healthy for kids to play outside, there are plenty of opportunities for them to run, jump, climb, and otherwise make good use of their boundless energy.
Now that play time has primarily moved indoors, our active toddlers need one or more outlets for all of that energy. A toddler’s energy knows no season, so wishing that they would calm down and play quietly is not going to bring about the desired result. They need a way to get their “ya ya’s” out without doing any damage to other people, or to property.
Last winter was my first real experience with an active toddler. Dylan had just turned two, and he was just as full of energy as he is now. At that time, I realized how lucky I am to live in a house where we have a long expanse of open floor in the living room for him to run back and forth to his heart’s content. He can race back and forth on his own, or with me chasing him. He can roll, bounce, or kick a soft ball there too. Last winter, his favorite thing to do was climb onto a little airplane ride on toy that he has and race up and down his runway.
Whether or not you have a “runway” for your toddler, a rocking horse, rocking boat, or other rocking toy is also a great way for active toddlers to release energy while indoors. Last week, we picked up a bouncy horse at the thrift store for five bucks. Dylan loves to bounce, bounce, bounce on the horse and has not destroyed it yet. As an added bonus, if the rocking toy is an animal like a horse, your toddler can enjoy some pretend role playing. Dylan likes to make up names for his horse, and he pretends to brush her and feed her. He even covers her back with a blanket at night.
Another fun and relatively not destructive outlet for toddler energy is the classic bop bag. Dylan got one today, as a belated birthday gift from his grandparents. Ours is an earth – friendly take on the bop bag, but traditional ones are readily available and provide a fun way for toddlers to let loose.
How does your toddler get his or her “ya ya’s” out in the winter time?