Running, jumping, spinning… two year-olds are constantly on the move. And that’s a good thing! Being physically able produces children who are strong, playful, joyful, curious, persistent, successful and able to meet challenges.

Top 10 Tips

1. Children learn best when the adults around them are active participants in the learning process. So get involved and play!

2. Play and sing action songs, like ‘Ring a Ring o’ Roses’ or ‘Wheels on the Bus’.

3. Musical statues is a great game to play with your two year-old.

4. Another simple game to play indoors is ‘catch’ with a rolled up pair of socks.

5. Your two year-old is probably learning to lean forward, jump, climb low ladders and balance on one foot.

6. Setting up an obstacle course is a fun way to let them try out their new-found skills.

7. As they navigate their way through the objects, they’ll learn spatial awareness and how big or small they really are.

8. Marking out shapes on the ground for your child to jump in and out of is great fun too. Chalk on concrete works well for this, or a hula-hoop, or a square made of sticks, on the grass.

9. Two year olds are naturally adventurous, which can be a bit nerve-wrecking for parents! If you find yourself calling out ‘Careful’ or ‘Don’t!’ a lot, give the pause/prompt/praise method a go.

10. PAUSE to see if the activity is dangerous before interfering; PROMPT your child how to do the activity safely if necessary (for example, say ‘turn around and come down backwards’); and PRAISE your child on how they did the activity or found the solution by describing what they’ve done. For example, ‘I really liked the way you came down the ladder backwards’.