With the rapid rise in technological devices, people are slowly becoming accustomed to a more laid-back lifestyle where they can view everything from the comfort of their mobile phone or laptop and don’t have to actually go out for anything unless it is very important. From online shopping to social media, everything is available from bone swipe of your thumb and you can get used to just lounging around all day looking at a screen. Even children are becoming lazier as they have access to all the games in the world and feel less inclined to engage in physical activity that is essential for their growth. Not only is this activity detrimental to your physical health but also to your mental health. Very low levels of physical activity can lead to excess fat being stored in your body which can lead to weight gain and the glare of the screen can severely affect your eyesight as well. Children also become accustomed to instant gratification as any video that they don’t like to watch, they can automatically change it to the song of their liking and the increase in screen time also leads to them developing anger issues and being cranky after they leave the device. This is why it is crucial for parents to help children engage in other activities such as helping around in the kitchen using a toddler helper stool or simply using a toddler balance board for keeping them active so that they are able reduce the negative impact of all the technology usage. Children will be able to improve their posture and the strength of their muscle and their bones that become stiff and weak after sitting in the same position for long periods of time. They will also learn the importance of working with others if they play with other children more outdoors, getting a chance to fill their lungs with fresh air and a chance to stretch their muscles as well.
One such healthy activity that will keep your child engaged is making them help you with the cooking. Not only will they be excited about getting to prepare the meal that they will eat but will also be able to spend some quality time with you that may be rare if you have a busy schedule. By doing simple things such as rolling cookie dough or cutting the cookies, children are able to develop their fine motor skills and allow them to learn how to follow instructions. When they deal with different forms of measurement, they are actually fine tuning their math skills and will learn how to do addition and subtraction without the use of pen and paper. A safe way to allow your child to come to your level in the kitchen is by using a toddler helper stools which is an essentially a stool with a cage built on top to prevent your child from falling. You can focus on doing the actual cooking and having fun with your kid instead of worrying about the slightest of movements which may cause them to fall back and hurt themselves. They can easily get on the toddler helper stool themselves which will give them a sense of independence and will actually be able to help you with the cooking, cleaning and cutting.
A toddler balance board is another way to keep your child engaged in a fun activity. It is basically a wooden board with curved edges that children have to maintain their balance on. The ability to balance is critical in a child’s development from the time when they are able to balance the weight of their heads to the time, they learn to balance themselves as they walk and even after that. Using toddler balance boards, the child is able to increase their attention span by maintaining balance on the board. It also helps increase motivation in them as they have to try to keep themselves on the board for longer periods of time and also helps with gaining more self-control. It is especially helpful for those children that have faced some emotional stress or trauma as it helps them regain their self-esteem by learning to control themselves on the board.