Life is incredibly busy when you have a toddler, and exercising can be low on the list of priorities. However, incorporating exercise into your daily routine is not only great for your body but can also help you manage your mental health.
Although you shouldn’t feel guilty for not exercising, it’s normal to feel like you want to get back to being active after you have a child.
Finding time to exercise can decrease day-to-day stress for you, as well as help to burn off some of your toddler’s energy. However, parents might be wondering: how do you exercise with a toddler?
In this article, we explore the different ways in which you can work out with a toddler to give you some inspiration to get moving with your tot!
So, let’s get started.
Walking with a stroller
The easiest way to get some fresh air and light exercise for you and your toddler is to take them for a walk in their stroller to the local park!
Not only will they be getting stimulation from the outdoors, but it’s the perfect way for you to get some cardio in and you’ll feel so much better for spending some time outside of the house.
Tip: Make sure that you’ve packed enough snacks to keep your toddler happy and distracted if they become fussy in the stroller!
Hiking
If you want to travel further than a trip to your local park, why not make a day of it with a hike? Simply strap your toddler into a child carrier, and you’re ready to hit the trails!
It is worth remembering that a toddler, especially one who's not yet used to being confined in a carrier, might not last very long without fussing when you’re out on a hike. This is likely to change depending on your child, but whilst you’re getting them used to the carrier it might be an idea to stay relatively close to home so that you can turn around easily if they become really unhappy.
Tip: Make sure that you check the weather forecast before heading out. Although you should try to avoid hiking on super sunny days as you don’t want your child to overheat, you should always pack a sun hat and sun cream for warmer weather as well as plenty of spare clothes if it looks like it’s going to be cold or rainy!
Jogging with a stroller
If you prefer high-impact exercise, you could always take your toddler jogging with you to the local park. Simply strap them into the stroller, and you’re set to go. With you pushing the extra weight of your toddler, you’ll work up a sweat in no time!
If they become fussy, you could always let them have a play in the playground and then jog all the way home as a compromise that is mutually beneficial for you both.
Tip: Make sure to go slowly in the beginning until you’re confident with a jogging stroller, and then you can build up the speed to running to burn even more calories.
Swimming
Swimming is an excellent way of doing some exercise with your tot! You might have already introduced your child to swimming if they did baby swimming lessons, but if not, swimming with your toddler is an effective way of getting them comfortable in the water.
When you’re treading water, you can burn up to 11 calories per minute. So, whilst your toddler is having a fun splash in the water, you can get some cardio in by either swimming with them whilst they are on an inflatable or simply by treading water.
Cycling
Cycling is a great way of exercising with your toddler! Your child only needs to be 6-9 months to safely ride in a bike carrier, so the adventures that you can take them on as a family are unlimited.
There are a variety of carrier options to choose from to suit your lifestyle. Simply strap your baby into their carrier and you’re good to go!
Tip: Make sure that you pack sun cream and a sun hat for those hot, humid days.
Dancing
Children love being entertained by music. Dancing is not only a fun way of introducing your toddler to music, but it is also a great calorie burner for you, too!
There’s no denying that toddlers have a lot of energy, and thus need an outlet to burn that energy off. A dance party during the day will become your new secret weapon when you see how much energy it burns and how much easier it is when it comes to putting your toddler to sleep at bedtime!
Tip: Make sure the music isn’t too loud to protect your tot’s delicate ears.
Playground fun
If your toddler enjoys the playground, why not turn a trip to the playground into a workout for you, too? You can easily use the monkey bars to practice your pull-ups and can get a good arm workout in as they play next to you.
Another option that you have is to do walking lunges around the park. Alternatively, if you’re pushing your child on the swing, perform a squat before the swing comes back. Not only does this keep your toddler happy, but you also get to exercise. What’s not to love?
It may take a while to become comfortable doing small exercises like this, but don’t be embarrassed. You could even chat with other parents at the playground for advice. Who knows, they might surprise you with their own exercise routine.
In summary
As we have explored in this article, there are many different ways that you can exercise with your toddler that can be mutually beneficial for you and your tot!
We hope that we have provided you with some inspiration for the next time you feel like getting active with your toddler. Next time you’re stuck in the house with a toddler with too much energy and you’re desperate to get some exercise in, why not refer back to this article for some ideas?
Most importantly, have fun with it!