By Julianne Spohrer, Early Childhood Education Director, Kick & Play
Kids, step away from the iPad! I know it’s full of fun, educational games, but finger swipes are not exercise!
Parents, you’ve heard it many times but getting your child involved in movement classes and sports is crucial for his/her development. Think about how toddlers move around in NYC – sitting in high-tech, aerodynamic strollers – that limit movement. They make us more efficient, but our children more stationary. Given the size of our apartments, the dirtiness of city sidewalks, and the limited number of spaces for toddlers to move, play and grow, our little ones are becoming more sedentary than mobile these days. Even if you aren’t into sports and fitness, your child needs early physical activity to develop into a healthy, strong kid. But when do I enroll? Which programs are best? What should I look for? Follow this quick guide and your child will be learning and having fun in the perfect class in no time.
Why Movement & Sports?
From the time our babies are born, they’re consistently finding new ways to move. They swing their arms, kick their feet, roll over and crawl across the floor. Movement is key to your child’s development.
Keep Moving
One of the best ways to keep your toddler moving and provide him/her with the exposure, experience, and stimulation appropriate for healthy growth, is by enrolling in some of the wonderful early childhood classes available in NYC.
One of the best things about raising children in New York City is the amount of programming designed specifically for you. But, the sheer menu of classes available can be overwhelming.
What to Look for in a Class
Age ranges
In order to find a developmentally appropriate class, you want to select a program that caters to specific age ranges. Classes that are marketed for children 0-3 are more likely to be unstructured play time with a twist, because they cater to such a variety of ages. While a class designed for kids ages 18-24 months is structured specifically for children in that specific age range. In a more specific class, all the kids will play at the same physical, cognitive and social developmental levels.
General movement with a specific area of development
The best exposure you can give your toddler is a program that focuses on all developmental areas: fine and gross motor skills, cognitive and language skills, upper and lower body activities, and social exposure with individual attention. For example, if you’re looking for a gymnastics or soccer program, you want a class that focuses on that particular skill, but also incorporates a general movement element.
Parent-Child Programs
Many youngsters, ages 12-24 months, learn best when you are there to support them. If a program is asking you to participate, show up ready to play. Communicate with instructors in terms of how much your child needs your support. Programs start minimal separation around age 2, but each child is different. Support your child in the way that will help him/her learn most comfortably. If your 18 month old is staying close to your side, but others are running circles around the room, don’t worry – it’s completely normal at this age.
Quality Teachers
Get comfortable with “finding the right teacher”– you’ll be doing it for the next 20 years! Look for programs that train their teachers to effectively communicate with you and your toddler. If you leave your first class and the teacher never sat down next to you and played with your toddler, you’re most likely not going to receive the individual attention you should at this age. Also consider the number of teachers a program provides. If the class has 15 kids and one teacher, what are you really getting out of that class? Look for a program with low child:teacher ratios and a program with active assistants.
Stability and Structure
Drop-in classes always seem to be the popular choice because they offer maximum flexibility; however, the best option for your tot is a stable routine and structure. Young children find comfort in repetition. Weekly classes that offer structure and familiar faces will yield skill building over time. For example, teachers may introduce a skill such as kicking at the beginning of a season that they may repeat during each class and build on over time in order to fully develop.
Trials
While trial classes are helpful in terms of seeing what a class looks like and how a program functions, everyone from you to your toddler to your friend’s toddler can have an “off day,” influencing your class experience. Look for programs that offer withdrawal policies so you can experience a few classes and still get a refund if you don’t think the class is a proper fit. This way, your child can spend a few weeks in a familiar setting and you can determine if any learning is happening before making the decision to fully commit to the program.
We know the Wii claims to provide exercise and the iPad features educational games, but they cannot replace movement, sports, and active learning in your child’s life. Exposing your toddler to an active lifestyle at a young age helps him/her physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally, and lastly, it provides fun! There’s no substitute for good old physical playtime!
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Julianne Spohrer is the Director of the Kick & Play program for toddlers 12 to 24 months at Super Soccer Stars. A former preschool teacher with The Carousel of Languages, Julianne has worked specifically with bilingual toddlers. Julianne has her Masters in Developmental Psychology specializing in early childhood ages 0-5 from Teachers College, Columbia University.
