While your little one may not be quite ready for the big competition, her unrelenting spirit and determination are world-class. Challenge her abilities and imagination with a Baby Triathlon in your home. Let the games begin!
How it Plays
The Pole Vault: Gather some pillows and cushions from your bed or couch and pile them up. Drape a sheet over them to keep them clean. Mimic the excitement of the pole vault by lifting your little one up and over. After her feet hit the ground on the other side, guide her back around to do it all again. As your baby's #1 fan, be sure to cheer her on throughout: "Up you go. You're so high! Now you're on the top.
Now you're vaulting OVER!" Variation: Make a challenging obstacle with your own body. Sit on the floor and bend your knees so they form a peak. Let your baby vault from your feet up to your head.
The Big Swim: Make a bridge for your baby to "swim" under, perhaps you can imagine it's the London Bridge. It can be a chair or a table, or two chairs back to back with a space between them and a towel draped over them. Even your legs, with you standing or sitting, can serve as a bridge. Cheer her on by describing what she's doing as she reaches for the finish.
Gymnastics: Make a tunnel for your baby to shimmy through. Cut both ends off a medium-size or large cardboard box and stabilize it between two chairs. (Two adults standing together with their feet spread apart could make a tunnel, too.) Place a toy at one end, consider it the gold medal your little one is racing toward. Encourage your child to move her body in whichever way necessary to retrieve it. Cheer her on as she's crawling through and watch in awe at her stunning flexibility.
What You'll Need
- Pillows
- Sheet
- Towel
- Chairs
- Table
- Medium-size or large cardboard box
Learning and Growing
Your baby's determination matches that of any athlete. Just the act of exploring is fun and exciting to her but it's also a major feat. Your little one is also beginning to become aware of the relationship between words and actions. Navigating over, under, and through things is just as much a mental exercise as it is physical.
