Guidelines for Toddlers and Preschoolers
There are five guidelines for Toddlers and they are intended to answer questions relative to the kind of physical activity, the environment and the individuals responsible for facilitating the activity.
For toddlers, basic movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing and kicking do not just appear because a child grows older. These behaviors are clearly influenced by the environment. For instance, a child who does not have access to stairs may be delayed in stair climbing
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Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes daily of structured physical activity.
Toddlers and preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours per day of daily, unstructured physical activity and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping.
Toddlers should develop movement skills that are building blocks for more complex movement tasks; preschoolers should develop competence in movement skills that are building blocks for more complex movement tasks.
Toddlers and preschoolers should have indoor and outdoor areas that meet or exceed recommended safety standards for performing large muscle activities.
Individuals responsible for the well-being of toddlers and preschoolers should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child’s movement skills.