Parenting: Jumping

At every age, your child is learning new skills and reaching milestones, but a toddler's physical development is particularly impressive, as they learn to walk, run and climb. In our Parenting Report, we find out why this is one motor milestone you may not even have noticed.

There's no stopping 20-month old Emma. She started walking at 12-months, soon added climbing, and now has jumped to another milestone.

Catheryn Dufault-Mom: "We took note of her crawling and walking, and all of a sudden she was jumping and we didn't see it as a milestone.

It just happened and she was having a lot of fun with it."

Jumping generally shows up between 18 and 20 months, when toddlers have developed the coordination to flex and extend their knees standing up. Experts say once your toddler gets the hang of it, there may be no stopping him.

Kyle Pruett, Ph.D.-Psychologist: "Jumping is a sign that children are beginning to feel increasingly confident in their bodies. Your delight will simply give them the courage to have even more fun with their bodies."

If your child can't resist a springy bed or couch to practice his new found talents, matter-of-factly move him to a special safe designated jumping zone. If you want to give your pre-jumping toddler a boost, try games like Ring-Around-the-Rosie". Falling down and getting back up again, help strengthen jumping muscles.

Kyle Pruett, Ph.D.-Psychologist: "It's quite a magical thing when you discover how to do it. It's one of the many things in a toddler's repertoire that has to do with 'I will do it myself.'"

Jumping and having fun with new found coordination naturally leads to dancing, so now's the time to turn on the tunes and let the show begin.

Find more helpful Parenting information by visiting Parenting Magazines website.

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