Tips & Tricks For Home Workouts with a Toddler!

PARENTS OF TODDLERS. I know you are tired. I know you have sticky hand prints all over your clothes. I know that you are trying to work out what you can offer up for lunch that might not be thrown straight onto the floor. I KNOW YOU NEED TO INVEST MORE TIME INTO YOURSELF…and I know its so hard to do!

I have somehow managed to find a groove with home workouts! I cant believe Im even sharing that because I have probably just cursed myself …but I know I am grateful for every helpful hint I come across, so here is my offering!

My tips and tricks were born out of desperation.

I told my 7 month old baby to shut up.

Yup. I looked at his little face in my rearview mirror as I drove away from the gym & as he locked eyes with me he opened his little mouth even wider and let out an almighty scream.

I met his frustration with my own & felt tears slip out of my eyes as I mouthed the words “just shut up” at him.

I was pleading with him to hold it together because I could feel the cracks within me growing. I was about to come undone.

I had been determined to start training consistently again & would take my son to the gym with me. I brought a highchair so he could be safely strapped in place. This worked well for a few sessions. Until it didn’t. Our usually chilled, happy boy would scream and kick and demand to get out of his highchair. I guess he just wanted to get out and play, excited by all the movement he was watching. I left 15 minutes into a session because I felt so uncomfortable about the noise he was making. I didn’t want people to be annoyed by the crying baby while they tried to work out.

I accepted that this stage and phase of my life might not allow me to join in on group sessions. That was a devastating blow. I love everything about training at the gym with a group of people. But I didn’t like the anxiety it was causing me to bundle up my baby, bring him to the gym and then awkwardly leave with a crying baby under my arms.

I was determined to maintain my commitment to movement. I have long understood that it is vital to my overall mood, health and wellbeing. Its non negotiable. I had to find a way.

I realised that because I don’t have a babysitter or relatives close by to mind him & we have chosen not to put him into daycare– if I was going to work out consistently, I had to make it work for myself at home.

Almost a year on and morning movement has become a big part of our daily routine! I invest time into myself & it gives me great pride knowing that I have filled my cup so that I can be happy and healthy for my family.

Here are some of the ways in which I have managed to make morning movement possible in our household with a very energetic toddler to contend with!

Make the Most of Mornings + Build A Routine

My eyes spring open at 5:30am, coffee is made at 5:32am and before I know it – its 3’O Clock in the afternoon! Im not sure how to prove it but I swear when you become a parent, time is sucked away from you without you even realising it is happening!

This is why it is SO important to allow yourself the grace of coming first on your list of tasks to achieve in the day. Mornings are magic. Usually our patience is at its peak, we aren’t completely drained and we feel determined to run the day! On the days that you decide to work out – PUT YOURSELF FIRST. Literally everything in your house can wait. The dishes will still be there. The mail will remained unopened. The sheets in the washing machine will be waiting to be hung. Give yourself 30 minutes and I can guarantee you that the usual resentment that can build as you go about your day as you realise the garbage bin is already overflowing, again – will seem less intense! It might seem crazy – but exercising gives you MORE energy!

I usually have a cuddle in bed with my son, come downstairs and fix his breakfast (truth me told my coffee gets made first!) and play with him on the floor. I like to start exercising by 7:30am and working to a timeline often pushes me to take my dressing gown off and get on with it.

I NEVER feel like exercising initially. However, I know this is my greatest opportunity to get it done & so I just commit to it and put the wheels in motion. The hardest part of a workout is often finding the motivation to actually tie your shoelaces up! Don’t wait to ‘feel’ like it – JUST DO IT!

Having a set time for exercise has meant that we have built a feeling of consistency and routine into our mornings. My son seems to anticipate what I am about to do as I get changed & because of the systems and structure I have in place – he actually now gets excited.

INVITATIONS TO PLAY

As a former primary school teacher, I understand that a normal attention span is 3-5 minutes per year of child’s age. So for my one year old son, each time he plays with something, I can expect him to move on after about 4 minutes. A 3 year old should be able to maintain focus on an activity for approx. 9 minutes.

Understanding this is important as it dictates how many ‘invitations to play’ you set up. Essentially, you create activities or set up toys for your child to play with. The most important part of your selection is understanding that your child will need to be able to independently play with whatever you set up. DON’T go down the rabbit hole of pinterest and be convinced invitations to play need to be picture perfect. You simply need to take toys out of baskets, books of shelves, Tupperware out of cupboards – so that you capture the attention and interest of your child in the hopes that they will be entertained while you work out.

I create 5 invitations to play in 5 different areas of the room so that my son can physically get up and move to something else when he loses interest.

My most common invitations to play at this age and stage are:

1. Books. I stand them upright and create a circle of books for him to see and explore.

2. Blocks. I take most of the blocks out of their tub and create small towers that he can look at, add to, knock over

3. Musical Toys. Anything that lights up and is interactive comes out. I try to keep some toys in a cupboard and bring them out when I exercise so he gets excited to play with them.

4. Tupperware. I give him what he likes!! I just dump it onto the carpet and he has a ball taking lids on and off.

5. The TV! I most definitely rely on ABC Kids as an ally to help me!! I leave the tv off until I need it & keep the remote with me so I can change the channel when needed!

Other things to consider

– Survey your room for safety before you get started. Move anything and everything that could be potentially dangerous, climbed on, pushed over so that you don’t have to start and stop.

– Change Bub’s nappy before you get started and make sure they are well fed! I like to do my workout straight after I give my son breakfast as he is generally the most settled with a full tummy! I do however make a plate of snacks for him so that he can help himself to something if he is still hungry. Usually just things like strawberries or toast. Things I am confortable with him eating without close supervision.

– Ignore the mess and choose your battles. Ive seen it all. Pillows thrown and dragged across the room. The tissue box attacked. Toast stepped on and peanut butter smooshed into the floorboards. YOU CANT DO ALL THINGS AND BE ALL THINGS AT ONCE. Give yourself 30 minutes to have your blinkers on. Watch them to make sure they are safe – but let everything else go over your head. If you stop and start soon enough you will just give up.

-Ask for help. Too often we don’t realise there is help around us if we just speak up and ask! My neighbor has a bub and we often reach out to each other and do what we call a ‘gym swap’. We look after each other’s bub so we can get a workout in or run a quick errand.

If you have other tips and tricks I would LOVE to hear them to add to this post and share with other parents!