Category: Parents Corner

Toddlers should have 7 milligrams of iron each day. After 12 months of age, they’re at risk for iron deficiency because they no longer drink iron-fortified formula and may not be eating iron-fortified infant cereal or enough other iron-containing foods to make up the difference. To help prevent iron deficiency: • Limit your child’s milk intake to about 16-24 ounces

Toddlers need to eat healthy to get the nutrients their growing bodies need. Candy, potato chips, and other low-nutrient “junk foods” shouldn’t be part of their diet because they can crowd out the healthy foods needed. Also, food preferences are established early in life, so don’t miss opportunities to help your toddler develop a taste for nutritious foods. Even if

Kids should start finger feeding around 9 months of age and try using utensils by 15-18 months. Provide many opportunities for this, but make sure your toddler eats enough so that the experience doesn’t lead to frustration. Jump in to help when necessary, but pay attention to hunger cues and signs that your child is full. You can always offer

Most parents have bribed their child by promising some tasty treat, but this isn’t a good strategy. Using sweets as a bribe creates the impression that they’re more valuable or better than other, more healthy foods — plus kids quickly learn to use them as a bargaining tool. As for sweets, there’s really no reason, nutritionally, for young kids to

Juice — even 100% fruit juice — contains about the same amount of calories as soda. And juice drinks have excessive amounts of added sugar. Letting kids carry around a juice box all day can lead to diarrhea in some and contribute to weight gain in others. Limit your toddler’s juice intake to no more than 4 oz. (120 ml)

Kids do better with a routine, so try to serve snacks and meals at about the same time every day. That way your child will know what to expect. Feeling the sensation of being full and then hungry again a few hours later teaches kids to respond to internal hunger cues — and knowing when to eat and, more important,

For children 12-36 months old, current National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) guidelines recommend this much daily activity: • at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity (adult-led) • at least 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play) As a general rule, toddlers shouldn’t be inactive for more than 1 hour at a time, except for sleeping. That’s

-walks independently -pulls/carries toys while walking -stoops and gets back up -begins to run -kicks a ball -holds railing going up/down stairs -walks backward -balances 1 to 2 seconds on one foot -climbs well -bends over easily without falling -runs well -kicks ball forward -both feet on step going up/down stairs -starts to pedal tricycle -throws ball over head

It might look like just child’s play, but toddlers are hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination. Each new skill lets them progress to the next one, building on a foundation that leads to more complicated physical tasks, such as jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel.