Instilling good exercise habits at an early age helps reduce the risk of your baby growing up to be overweight or obese, thereby lowering his chances of developing health problems. While formal exercise is not appropriate for babies, they do need to be active for part of each day to keep their hearts healthy and burn calories. Regular well baby check-ups allow your child's pediatrician to monitor his weight gain, which will help you determine how much exercise he needs for a healthy weight.
Crawling
A baby who spends a large portion of the day crawling around the house is getting exercise, according to David Gellar, pediatrician for baby advice website, BabyCenter. The movements required while crawling support healthy muscle tone and development in your baby's core, arms and legs as well as burning calories. Create a safe place for your baby to crawl unhindered, which offers more benefit to him and is more convenient than having to pick him up and move him around the room to prevent injury.
Tummy Time
While you should never put your baby to sleep on his tummy, allowing him to play in this position when he is awake is a good way to get him to exercise his neck muscles. At about 4 months of age, your baby has more control of his neck and lying on his tummy strengthens the muscles required for moving his head and holding it up on his own. As your baby gets older, he will be able to use his arms and legs to move around and reach for toys, strengthening the muscles in these areas as well as burning calories.
Playing
You may not equate playing with exercise, but it is an effective form of physical activity for babies who spend most of their time playing. This eliminates the need to sign your baby up for organized classes that he may not enjoy. Allow your baby to play on the floor and reach for toys, recommends Dr. Christopher Bolling, pediatrician and obesity chair for the Kentucky chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Encouraging scooting and assisted walking around the house are also good ways to strengthen muscles and burn calories. Climbing on age-appropriate playground equipment is another easy way to incorporate exercise into your baby's daily routine.
Incorporating Exercise
With the large number of education programs available on television and the computer, children are consistently getting too much media time at a younger age. Eliminating screen time gives your baby more opportunities to move around and be physically active. Let your baby see you exercise when possible, which sets a good example. Modify your exercise routine to include your baby once or twice a week. Dancing and walking are easy to do together, as is having a crawling race down the hall. If you are concerned that your baby isn't getting enough exercise, talk with his pediatrician.
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