Your Active Toddler

Have you ever found yourself, after a busy day chasing your toddler, wanting to do this?

Hmm...she doesn't look too happy (although she is very cute!) Here are a few alternatives you can try when your toddler is having a particularly energetic day:

1. Take her to the park and let her run around.

2. Take her to a water park and let her get drenched.

3. Bust out all of the pots, pans, and tupperware in your kitchen and make your own "kitchen commotion". (If you need a soundtrack, try downloading "Kitchen Commotion" or "Dancing Spoons" from http://play.kindermusik.com)

4. Buy yourself a cheap beachball (you can usually find a beachball for $2 or less). Give it to your child. Stand back and see what she does. Does she kick it? Throw it? Eat it? Take notes so you can chart her progress over the summer.

5. Go to the mall and watch other people's children. Notice how many of them are even MORE active than your toddler! Then be glad you've got yours instead of theirs.

6. Take out your phone and take a million videos of your toddler. Post them on YouTube (or on this blog, if you'd like), or send them to America's Funniest Home Videos. Get rich. Share the money with me. Thanks!

7. Take out your phone and take a million pictures of your toddler's antics. Post them on Facebook so  that all of your friends can take a break from reading about what everyone else has had for breakfast that day, and instead bask in the glory of your child's adorable-ness.

8. Put your little one down for a nap, get on your computer, and sign her up for a trial class at your favorite local Kindermusik studio. If you don't live in the East Bay, then mine might not be your favorite local Kindermusik studio. If you live in Ohio, please go to Christa's studio, and if you live in Florida, please go to Kerri's or Holly's studio, and if you live in Georgia, please go to Jane's studio, and if you live in Chicago, please go to Jessica's studio. If you live in Houston, wait for Shannon to open her studio, and then go there, but if you live in Dallas, just go to SoundSteps with Lisa. We love SoundSteps because all of their teachers keep moving to California and coming to work with us! If you live somewhere else, then please post a comment below and ask for a recommendation, or visit Kindermusik International's class locator, enter your zip, and see what comes up! Because let's face it -- you're going to need to make sure your child gets some serious musical skills if you're going to get your toddler dancing video to go viral.

Happy toddling!

Posted by Lindsay Levin, a.k.a. "Miss Lindsay" from Kindermusik with Miss Lindsay & Friends, who loves watching other people's toddlers run around.