The growing devotion to wellness and fitness has created many interesting trends over the years, and it looks like step-counting is here to stay. Chances are, you know a friend or colleague who will do whatever it takes to hit that 10,000-step daily goal, whether that involves a long walk around the neighborhood or even a march down the office stairwell. With the popularity of step counting, it's no surprise that kids are also a new target market for fitness trackers. With this in mind, how many steps should your toddler be getting, and how can you help ensure your kiddo's fitness level?
Well, the particulars for toddler fitness may be a little difficult to define in such concrete numbers. When it comes to toddlers, who are still kind of mastering the whole walking thing anyway, using general timelines may be a more productive way to ensure your little one stays fit. According to Healthy Children, aiming for an hour of unstructured play, as well as 30 minutes of physical activity that's supervised by an adult, is a good rule of thumb.
That said, it may be fun to put a fitness tracker on your kid just as a lark. Those little legs probably cover more ground than you expect. But you may want to check with you kid's pediatrician to get an individualized step goal, if that's something you'd like to look into.
What other measures can you take to ensure your little one's fitness at this age? In general, play is where it's at. According to Kid's Health, encouraging your kid to imitate animal's movements (hop like a bunny) is a fun game. In addition, limiting your kid's periods of inactivity to about one hour per day is also a good rule of thumb, as further noted by Kids Health. Basically, anything that gets your little one up and moving is a step in the right direction. After all, you're not looking to break records or set personal bests yet — just move. The more structured, measured aspects of fitness may need to wait a few years. In the meantime, enjoy the wild and free-wheeling world of toddler fitness.
