Encouraging a Toddler to Run

[Wolfwind]

My 19 month old daughter walks very well and occasionally breaks into clumsy cross-pattern running.  We're loosely following Doman's Physically Superb book, so it's time to start running with her every day.  She loves going for walks, but she wants to spend all her time exploring!  It takes us an hour to go half a mile, not because she's slow, but because we stop to pick dandelions, chase robins, smell flowers, pick up pinecones, etc.

I think my problem is that I really like all the exploring she does.  I don't want to stop her.  But at the same time, I want to encourage her to run more and more.  Does anyone have any tactics they've used to encourage running?  We've had a little success by starting a "race" or "chase" with me, the dog, and her.  But it's hard to keep it up.  At this point she can only run maybe 20 yards.  So theoretically we want to run 20, walk 40, run 20, etc.  Or something like that.  But it's hard to keep her moving when the world is just so interesting!  Any ideas?

[linzy]

I think they talk about this specifically in the Doman book, but I havne't read it in a while. He says something about a dad and his daughter running at a park. The first day she stops and loos at every leaf, etc. But in running/walking the same course daily soon she was running the whole thing. So maybe have a specific run that you want to work up to and just start doing it everyday with you jogging along beside her? Soon she'll have stopped at all the minutae and it will lose it's interest.

Check the book though, I'm sure it says more about this.

[Wolfwind]

It's true, he does mention that in the book, but we've walked the same half-mile square several times a week for the past few months and if anything we've gotten slower!  I think it's because it's not the same to her - new flowers are blooming, new birds are coming back, sometimes there's water in the gutters...  It's spring and everything is changing.  But maybe I should try consistantly walking one path every day for a month and see if it works.  The local park has a jogging trail around the soccer fields; that might be less interesting than people's yards.  I hate driving to a park to walk; it seems so counterintuitive.  But maybe it's worth it.

[linzy]

Maybe a local track? What could be less distracting?

[LDSMom]

We have an app for the iPod on how to train for a 5k, my son just started doing it with me, it beeps and says Run, and you run for 30 seconds, then it beeps and says walk, and you just alternate running and walking while building your endurance,andtherunning times get longer. We put on some good music and let the app dictate when to walk and run and it works well for us. My son is a bit older though at age 4 and you'd obviously need an iPod to do it.

[Mandabplus3]

Although i often couldn't stop My kids from running...at the shops, in the library near the road! When i wanted my 1 year old to run on demand it was often a challenge. What worked for us was a whole lot of patience from mummy    and a target to run too. I would say OK let's run to that tree and see how many ants we can count. Let's run to the clover patch and look for bees. That got us around our block most days and other days there were ALOT of ants and bees!
My next kids number 2 and 3 run all the time, they chase each other and jog and run run run soi can also recommend borrowing an older kid! ( you can have mine anytime  )

[Emsmum]

on the subject of running, my 3 year old seems to have an unusual run, more like a power walking run, is this normal at this age or I need to encourage it more or it's a delay? I see kids her age running like an athlete would yet my child looks strange when she 'runs'

[Mandabplus3]

It's not unusual, some kids at three just don't run. However I wouldn't let them off the hook so easily
Usually it's the cross patterning that it difficult for them to master. Have you tried a braciating ( spelling?) ladder? Doman style? It's good for cross patterning. As is crawling. So encourage crawling games too.
From you description it is possible your child doenst "bounce" between steps. For this practice hopping, jumping, skipping and try a trampoline moon walking game.
It is truly a case of practice makes perfect. So run run run.

[Wolfwind]

Thanks for the advice!  I've tried having a goal this week and it sometimes works.  :-)  That's about as much as I can expect.  If we run every day, she should get better at running to the tree/wall/car/whatever I point out, I think.  I should get out my old iron man training watch; it was programmable to let beep at intervals for run/walk or whatever.  She might like that too.  mandalaplus3, I would love to borrow your kids, but it's probably not feasible; I don't think you're in Utah.  :-)  Maybe I can find some other moms in the neighborhood who want to walk, though.  I should ask around.  Summer playgroup is starting next week so I can ask.  Thank you all again!  I think we're making progress.

[LDSMom]

Hey Wolfwind - what part of utah are you in? I'm in Utah County.

[Wolfwind]

I'm in Salt Lake County - Sandy, to be precise.  We should get together!

[Mandabplus3]

Oh you Can borrow each others kids

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