Close Alert Banner
Skip to Content

kfla Public Health Logo

Contact Us
NewsContact UsLogin
FR EN
  • Health Topics
    • Climate change
    • Dental health
    • Health hazards
    • Food and healthy eating
    • Immunizations and vaccines
    • Infections and infectious diseases
    • Injury prevention and safety
    • Mental well-being
    • Parenting
    • Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep
    • Pregnancy
    • Safe water
    • Sexual health
    • Substance use health
    • Violence
  • Organizations and Professionals
    • Business owners, operators and vendors
    • Climate Change FAQ
    • Early childhood educators
    • Elementary and secondary school educators
    • Health care providers
    • Long-term care and retirement homes
  • Clinics and Classes
    • Dental hygiene clinics
    • Immunization clinics
    • Infant feeding clinics
    • Feeding Your Baby Solid Foods
    • Food For You, Food For Two classes
    • Low-cost rabies clinic
    • Prenatal and family home visiting program
    • Prenatal classes
    • Sexual health clinics
  • About Us
    • Accessibility
    • Annual reports
    • Board of Health
    • Employment and volunteering
    • Policies
    • Strategic plan
  • I Want To:

Physical activity for babies and toddlers

Home...Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleepPhysical activityPhysical activity for babies and toddlers
  • Open new window to share this page via Facebook Facebook
  • Open new window to share this page via Twitter Twitter
  • Open new window to share this page via LinkedIn LinkedIn
  • Email this page Email

2 adults face to face with baby during tummy time

Babies (0 to 12 months)

A healthy 24 hours for babies includes:

Movement

Children learn movement skills through playing and trying new things. Reaching and grasping, rolling-over, sitting, crawling, standing, and walking all help your baby develop motor skills and will help build strength and coordination.

Encourage your baby to move right from the start. Focus on interactive floor-based play. For infants not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day while awake.

Here are some ways to get active with your baby:

  • Get on the floor and play face-to-face with your baby.
  • Gently bounce your baby on your knee.
  • Crawl on the floor with your baby.
  • Put your baby down on the floor for tummy time. Place soft balls and toys near your baby for them to reach and grasp.

Sitting (sedentary behaviour)

Try to limit the amount of time that your baby is restrained to no more than one hour at a time (e.g., in a stroller or highchair). Screen time is not recommended for children under two years of age. Instead, try reading or listening to music with your baby.

For physical activity tips for babies visit the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years, Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit's Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play video and the LookSee Checklist by NDSS.

Toddlers and preschoolers

For toddlers (aged one to two years), a healthy 24-hours includes: 

Movement

At least 180 minutes spent in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, including energetic play, spread throughout the day – more is better.

Sitting (sedentary behaviour)

  • Not being restrained or sitting for more than one hour at a time (e.g., in a stroller or high chair).
  • Sedentary screen time is not recommended for children younger than two years. For those aged two years, sedentary screen time should be no more than one hour – less is better.
  • When sedentary, high quality activities such as reading or storytelling with a caregiver should be encouraged.
  • At least 180 minutes spent in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, of which at least 60 minutes is energetic play – more is better.
  • Ten to 13 hours of good-quality sleep, which may include a nap, with consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.
  • Not being restrained or sitting for more than one hour at a time (e.g., in a stroller or high chair).
  • Sedentary screen time should be no more than one hour – less is better.
  • When sedentary, high quality activities such as reading or storytelling with a caregiver should be encouraged.

For preschoolers (aged three to four years)

A healthy 24-hours includes: 

Movement

At least 180 minutes spent in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, of which at least 60 minutes is energetic play – more is better.

Sleep

Ten to 13 hours of good-quality sleep, which may include a nap, with consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.

Sitting (sedentary behaviour)

  • Not being restrained or sitting for more than one hour at a time (e.g., in a stroller or high chair).
  • Sedentary screen time should be no more than one hour – less is better.
  • When sedentary, high quality activities such as reading or storytelling with a caregiver should be encouraged.

Tips for being active with your toddler or preschooler

Toddlers and preschoolers enjoy actively exploring their environments. Create safe places and make time for play. The older your child gets, the more energetic play they need, such as hopping, jumping, skipping, and bike riding.

  • Play outside-run under the garden hose, blow bubbles and chase them in the wind, or make snow angels.
  • Make an obstacle course with pillows, cushions, and boxes-go through it together or take turns.
  • Climb stairs and hop around the house.
  • Enjoy rainy days-bring tub toys outside to play or jump over and splash around in puddles.
  • Divide simple chores and yard work-putting away toys and raking leaves.
  • Sing action songs together.
  • Explore new areas by crawling, brisk walking, running and dancing.
Subscribe to page updates
Health Topics
  • Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep
    Toggle Section Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep Menu
    • Physical activity
      Toggle Section Physical activity Menu
      • Move daily, live fully
      • Physical activity for babies and toddlers
      • Physical activity for school aged children
      • Physical activity for adults
      • Active transportation
      • Walking to Wellness
    • Sedentary behaviour
    • Sleep
      Toggle Section Sleep Menu
      • Sleep for babies and toddlers
      • Sleep for school aged children
      • Sleep for adults
  • View full Health Topics menu
    Toggle Section
    • Climate change
      Toggle Section Climate change Menu
      • Air quality
      • Extreme temperatures
      • Extreme weather and natural hazards
      • Food and water-borne illness
      • Ultraviolet radiation
      • Vector-borne disease
    • Dental health
      Toggle Section Dental health Menu
      • Dental care by age
      • Dental hygiene clinics
      • Tooth decay is increasing
      • Water fluoridation
    • Health hazards
      Toggle Section Health hazards Menu
      • Preparing for emergencies
      • Electromagnetic Fields
      • Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillars
      • Lead
      • Radon
      • Sun and UV safety
    • Food and healthy eating
      Toggle Section Food and healthy eating Menu
      • Choose water
      • Feeding your baby
      • Food and nutrition services
      • Food safety
      • Food skills
      • Healthy eating in the workplace
      • Healthy food choices by age
      • Introducing solid foods
      • Safe food handler training
      • Sport and recreational leagues
      • The cost of eating healthy
    • Immunizations and vaccines
      Toggle Section Immunizations and vaccines Menu
      • COVID-19
      • Grade 7 school-based immunizations
      • Immunization records and reporting
      • Immunization schedule by age
      • Influenza
      • Invasive Meningococcal Disease
      • Measles
      • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
      • Tips before getting vaccinated
    • Infections and infectious diseases
      Toggle Section Infections and infectious diseases Menu
      • Avian influenza (bird flu)
      • COVID-19
      • Common childhood illnesses
      • Infection prevention and control lapses
      • Influenza
      • Invasive Meningococcal Disease
      • Lyme and tickborne diseases
      • Measles
        Toggle Section Measles Menu
        • Measles exposures
      • Mpox (monkeypox) virus
      • Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
      • Preventing the spread of respiratory infections
      • Rabies
      • Respiratory illness surveillance in KFL&A
      • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
      • Tuberculosis
      • Vomiting and diarrhea (gastroenteritis)
      • West Nile Virus
    • Injury prevention and safety
      Toggle Section Injury prevention and safety Menu
      • On and off-road safety
      • Preventing a fall
      • Sun and UV safety
      • Concussions
    • Mental well-being
      Toggle Section Mental well-being Menu
      • Children and youth mental health
      • Eating disorders and disordered eating
      • Improving your mental health
      • Mental health services
      • Pregnancy and postpartum mental health
    • Parenting
      Toggle Section Parenting Menu
      • Babies and toddlers
      • School aged children
      • Parenting programs and services
    • Pregnancy
      Toggle Section Pregnancy Menu
      • Planning for a healthy pregnancy
      • Pregnancy and infant loss
      • Your health after pregnancy
    • Safe water
      Toggle Section Safe water Menu
      • Algae blooms
      • Beach water listings
      • Drinking water
        Toggle Section Drinking water Menu
        • Drinking water advisories
        • Municipal water
        • Private well water
        • Small drinking water systems
      • Water fluoridation
    • Sexual health
      Toggle Section Sexual health Menu
      • Condoms and safer sex supplies
      • Contraception
      • Mandatory Blood Testing Act
      • Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections
      • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV (PrEP)
    • Substance use health
      Toggle Section Substance use health Menu
      • Alcohol
      • Cannabis
      • Harm reduction
        Toggle Section Harm reduction Menu
        • Harm reduction supplies
        • Naloxone
        • Needle safety
        • Public disclosure of CTS inspection results
      • Tobacco
      • Vaping
    • Violence

Contact Us

kfla Public Health footer logo

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health works together with our communities to promote and protect the public's health. Our commitment is to provide public health programs and services of the highest quality.

  • View our Facebook Page
  • View our Twitter Page
  • View our Instagram Page
  • View our YouTube Page
  • View our LinkedIn Page
  • Health Topics
  • Organizations and Professionals
  • Clinics and Classes
  • About Us

Links:

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Feedback
  • Ontario 211
  • Privacy and records
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of reference
  • Viral respiratory mapper
Scroll to top of page

© 2023 KFL&A Public Health

By GHD Digital

I Want To:

Report

  • Animal bite or scratch
  • Childcare discharges
  • Cold chain incident
  • Food-borne illness
  • Immunizations
  • Mandatory blood testing

Apply or register

  • Clinics and classes
  • Employment and volunteering
  • Open a food premise
  • Personal service settings
  • Parenting emails
  • Special events for organizers and vendors

Access

  • Dental programs
  • Inspection results and enforcement actions
  • Beach water listings
  • Well water testing
  • COVID-19 surveillance in KFL&A

Request

  • Condoms and safer sex supplies
  • Harm reduction supplies
  • Immunizations records
  • Personal health or general record
  • Property record request
  • Sexual health (STI) record
Close Old Browser Notification
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.