5 Ways to Fight the Winter Wiggles

Often times our little ones aren’t moving their bodies as much as they should be. You might notice that they are literally “bouncing off the walls”. Heavy work, which is when we use our bodies to lift, push or pull, can really help calm down the body. There are lots of things you can do to provide your child with heavy work opportunities throughout the day.

1. Wheelbarrow walk to the bathroom or anywhere in the house

   Have your child wheelbarrow walk to the bathroom (or anywhere in the house). Not only does wheelbarrow walking provide an excellent heavy work opportunity, but it also helps to strengthen the hand, core, and shoulder muscles.

2. Include heavy work in the dressing routine

   Make dressing fun. Put the clothing on the opposite side of the bedroom. Then, have your child push against your hands (hands are interlocked with yours) until they have ‘pushed’ you to the clothing pile. They pick one piece to put on, hop back to the starting point, and repeat until they are fully dressed.

3. Bear walk to bath time

   Bear walk to bath time. Bear walking, which is similar to crawling, but knees are off the ground, is tough work and challenges many different muscle groups. Have your child bear walk to and from bath time.

4. Get moving before mealtimes

   Sitting for meals can be hard. Get your child moving before they sit to make it a little easier. Have your child frog jump to the table, crawl back to start, and then roll like a hotdog back to the table. Repeat until tired! All these movements give your child opportunities to not only move but challenge their bodies in ways that differ from just walking.

5. Do some heavy work with a backpack while transitioning to the car

   Time to head out? Pack a bag that is designated for transitioning to the car. Fill it with some heavier items (books, water bottles), while still making sure it is appropriate for your child to carry. Such an easy way to build in some extra heavy work while leaving the house.

Published in collaboration with Emily McCue, Owner of Sticks and Sprouts and Co-Founder of the Bloom and Shine Group.