10 Ways to Keep Your Toddler Active This Fall (Green & Natural Mamas Thursday Linkup)
Now that my son is officially mobile, he seems to have boundless energy. He does laps around the house all day long, and almost every activity he does seems to be accompanied by perpetual movement. I've learned how important it is to give my toddler plenty of opportunity for activity because he desperately needs an outlet for his energy. I've also found that incorporating fun and energetic activities into our days helps Baby get a better night's sleep, stimulates him more mentally throughout the day, gives him new opportunities to learn, and provides both of us with a new level of fun and excitement.The fall is a perfect time to increase your toddler's activity level and provide him with new stimulation. Here are 10 ways I am keeping my son active this fall:1. Apple pickingBaby had a fantastic time picking apples at the organic orchard near our home. He ran up and down the aisles of trees, crawled under low lying branches, and reached high to pick the very best apples.2. Playing with leavesBaby loves pointing out the colors of the newly changing leaves. We search our yard to find leaves of different colors and shapes. Baby loves these discoveries, as well as collecting them in the little wagon that he pushes through the yard.3. Indoor play spacesWhen the weather is not ideal, we visit an indoor play space near our home. Baby can run through this large open space freely and safely since all surfaces are soft. He climbs structures, crawls through tunnels, and jumps in the ball pit. We can always count on hours of high energy activity here.4. Visiting a farmBaby loves animals, as most toddlers do, and nothing excites him more than visiting animals at the farm. We gallop like horses, waddle like pigs, and peck like chickens as we say hello to each animal.5. DancingBaby and I love to dance throughout the house. I play toddler song CDs, and we do everything from slow dancing with spins and dips to soft music to bouncing like balls to frenetic songs.6. ChasingMy toddler thinks getting chased is one of the most thrilling activities in the world! I run after him, giving him a little tickle here and there, and he squeals and laughs with delight.7. Fall festivalsThere are so many fall festivals in our area, and they all seem to be a toddler haven for activity. They often offer bounce houses, fun parent/child races, and pony rides.8. HikingAlthough Baby rides in a backpack carrier during the more challenges portions of hikes, we also love letting him explore the flat, open land areas. He runs from tree to tree and has a blast collecting interesting items like rocks and acorns.9. The libraryWe have a wonderful children's room at our library where Baby pushes book carts and plays with puzzles. He also loves taking walks through the long aisles of the adult sections of the library where the tall shelves and colorful book spines keep him interested and on the go.10. Exploratory walksBaby is now able to hold my hand during short walks. We point out trees and cars and animals, and get in some fun exercise while learning about our world too. Link up!
Green & Natural Mamas: Link up one of your natural parenting or green living posts below! Be sure to leave a comment on this post and to visit some of the other linked up posts. I'd love if you could grab the button for your sidebar or post.
