Keeping Healthy – Early Years

This section provides information around community facilities, healthy living and advice promoting activity, so you can gain ideas on how to support your child to keep active and healthy.

Keeping physically active is so important for children and young people as it helps to reduce the risk of injuries, health complications and promotes mental wellbeing.

It is important to allow your child the opportunity to fully explore their environment and gain the physical skills required for their future. Activities that may encourage your child’s development include soft play, play equipment at the park, swimming and cycling (which could include trikes and balance bikes).

This section is designed to support the information you have received through your health visitor.

Ideas and tips for keeping your child active can be found in the leaflets and links below:

Local Offer:

Groups that may be useful for your child include: aqua-tots, stay and play, music and movement and tumble tots. Your local children’s centre will offer various other groups and activities, please contact them for further information.

In addition to being active it is important that your child has a healthy diet. Coventry Start for Life  will provide you with more information about this.

 

Safety Advice:

• Baby Walkers: Prolonged use of baby walkers is not recommended by physiotherapists as they encourage babies to walk on their toes and forward walkers are not safe for your child to lean on.
• Baby Bouncers: Baby bouncers do not allow children to fully experience their crawling ability, and can encourage children to stand or walk before they are ready, and this could lead to walking on their toes. This can lead to problems with their walking at a later age.
• Car Seat: Leaving your child in a car seat for long periods of time when they are not in the car is not recommended as it encourages curling up, and does not allow your child to stretch out into different positions. It does not allow them to explore their environment. Your child could develop breathing problems if left in this position for long periods.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development, or any questions, please see your health visitor. This website may also give you more information if you have any concerns about your child’s development .

Advice Leaflets: Please see Early Years Section