This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Huggies® Little Movers for IZEA. The love of interacting with my toddlers is 100% mine.
Toddlers and notorious for their new moves, from crawling, squatting, lifting up one leg, climbing, walking, cruising, sliding, and scooting. And it’s pretty awesome. I love watching my son grow and do more amazing things with his body, finding more coordination and confidence. But, I’m not nearly as flexible. I have found that in order to interact with toddlers, the very best thing you can do is lie down.
Easiest Ways to Interact with Toddlers
Lie Down!
Yes. The easiest way to interact with babies and toddlers and encourage play and mobility is to lie down on the floor. This was true with my twins and it is true with my son.
Because as soon as you get on the floor, down to your child’s level, they will be all over you. Literally. And sometimes painfully. And they’ll lift up your shirt and blow raspberries on your tummy. They’ll climb on your chest and give you hugs. They’ll stick their fingers in your mouth, try to gouge out your eyeballs, give you wet open-mouthed kisses, and slide from one side of you to the other. It’s the perfect place to play.
Lift Them Up
Once on the floor, it’s fun to lift your child. I like resting my toddler on my legs and then lifting them up, almost vertical, and bouncing them up and down. I mostly like it because it is also a little ab workout. And then I get my arm workout in by lifting them from my legs straight into the air above me as I lie on the floor. I swing them side to side and front to back with my arms extended, likely making some airplane noises as I do so.
Tickle Them
I love tickling people, even if I don’t like being tickled myself. And tickling your kids is one of the best perks of parenthood. Who doesn’t love hearing their child giggle, smile, and laugh hysterically, and scream for you to stop, and then beg you to tickle them again?
Wrestle
I love wrestling with my kids, and so does my husband. It’s fun rolling with our child in our arms, usually tickling their armpits as we roll, and squeezing them tight. And when they try to escape, we love to pull their legs, and drag them back in for more. And they love jumping and hopping and standing right on top of us as we lie on the floor, sometimes getting us good with an elbow or knee in the process.
On Your Knees!
And when you’ve had enough of a beating from your kids jumping on your chest and legs, it’s fun to move up onto your knees. When you are on your knees, toddlers love to climb onto your back, and go for a ride. And they also enjoy crawling underneath you.
Chase
And from your knees it makes it easier to chase your kids! I don’t know what it is about my kids, but they almost never, ever get tired of being chased. They love it. They love screaming. They love running. They love hiding. They love chasing you back. They love screaming “Get me! Get me!” Chasing is their favorite game to play with friends too. And my twins even pretend their baby brother is chasing them, when he really isn’t, as he’s still a little to young to know what is going on. But, growling and roaring as I chase my kids, pretending to be some sort of animal, and hearing them scream in delight, is one of my favorite activities too.
For even more ideas on how to engage and play with your toddlers and babies, and get some exercise for yourself too, check out these 10 Signature Baby Movements put together by celebrity fitness instructor and mom, Nikki Glor.
Moving Moments with Toddlers
So, whatever my toddler’s best moves are, as I lie and crawl on the floor myself, I want to be confident that he won’t be leaking out of his diaper, especially when he may end up sitting on my face. That’s why it’s pretty cool that Huggies® Little Movers diapers now have double grip strips.They provide a comfy fit that lasts! I really like the extra little purple grip strips on my son’s diapers. I do think they do a great job keeping his diaper where it’s supposed to be and not have it sagging down or slipping as he moves around.
How do you like to play and move with your baby or toddler?
Brittany Bullen says
Katelyn,
Way to write a killer title for your affiliate post! I took the bait =) You’re such a pro! P.S. Your little one is so cute in that little helmet!!
Katelyn Fagan says
Ha. Thanks Brittany! I’m working on better titles. 😀 And yes, he’s adorable in that helmet!
Marilyn Clark says
Katelyn, these are such great tips. I know my guys had “better days” when we were engaging all day long….touching, sitting on “Mom or Dad’s” lap reading, playing…having fun!
Melissa @serendipity and spice says
So many great tips!!
Hezzi-D says
Great tips! When I play with my little cousins (and even the kids at school) I’m alwayss on the floor with them. It’s better to be at their own height.
Kathleen says
Get ideas to play with your toddler. My kids are grown up, but my grand daughter is 2 today and she loves to be tickled and loves to wrestle. Little ones are so much fun to play with.
Kathleen says
*Should be great, not get.
Katie @ Clarks Condensed says
Great tips! I think that it’s important to just to get on their level and see the world from their eyes 🙂
Wendy P. says
I love this article! It’s all so true & only a mom who had actually done all these things would know just how much enjoyment everyone gets out of these play time activities. So if I didn’t do these things with my kids already, then I’d know for sure after reading this article that kids really dig these things. I like to lay down on my back bending my knees and bringing them up like you would doing bicycle crunches. Then my kids, 1 at a time, lay their tummies on my shins & I’ll hold them with my hands too while I lift my feet up/down. They enjoy that but they love love love when I count while I lift them up & down when I get to 3 I use my legs to flip them over my head and they stick the landing. I never let go of them until their legs are already coming down to land. It’s actually helped them learn how to do front & back handsprings by themselves. But thats their favorite right above the Superman. (They hold my hands with my feet on their tummy & when they’re ready they push off the ground with their feet while I straighten my legs lifting them up like they’re flying) Now I can’t wait for my older ones to get home from pre k and school so we can play. Thanks for the great article & I apologize for my poor grammar lol my 3 month old is sleeping across me laying on both my arms so iit’s difficult to type. ?
Katelyn Fagan says
I love that!! Thanks for sharing! And don’t worry about the grammar. My baby is 5 months and I totally get what it’s like to type one handed. Keep enjoying your little ones.
Melinda Woideck says
YES! If I could lie down, I would! I just sit and encourage her with my arm movements! (Usually 1 handed movements, since I have the 2 month old in 1 hand!)