KERA
Skip to content
  • Home
  • Television
  • Radio
  • News
  • Art&Seek
  • Kids&Family
  • KXT 91.7
  • About
  • Donate
  • Kids & Family

  • Teachers

    • Attachment & Socialization

      About Attachment & Socialization
      Your Child's Attachment Development
      Attachment Tools & Tips
      Attachment & Socialization Videos

    • Early Literacy

      About Early Literacy
      Early Literacy Development
      Early Literacy Tools & Tips
      Early Literacy Videos

    • Nutrition & Fitness

      Food
      Nutrition
      Activities
      Nutrition & Fitness Videos

    • Temperament

      About Temperament
      Your Child's Temperament
      Temperament Tools & Tips
      Temperament Videos

  • Parents

    • Attachment & Socialization

      About Attachment & Socialization
      Your Child's Attachment Development
      Attachment Tools & Tips
      Attachment & Socialization Videos

    • Early Literacy

      About Early Literacy
      Early Literacy Development
      Early Literacy Tools & Tips
      Early Literacy Videos

    • Nutrition & Fitness

      Food
      Nutrition
      Activities
      Nutrition & Fitness Videos

    • Temperament

      About Temperament
      Your Child's Temperament
      Temperament Tools & Tips
      Temperament Videos

  • Kids

    • Play Games
    • PBS Kids Video
    • PBS Kids Mobile
Home > Ready for Life > Parents > Temperament > About Temperament > Tips for Working With Activity Level
Skip to content
  • For Parents
    • Temperament
      • About Temperament
        • Tips for Working With Activity Level
        • Tips For Working With Awareness Of Feelings
        • Tips for Working with Children Who Enjoy Change or Who Enjoy What’s Familiar
        • Tips For Working With Distractibility
        • Tips For Working With Moods
        • Tips For Working With Persistence
        • Tips For Working With Sensitivity To Senses
        • Tips For Working With Strengths Of Expression
        • Tips For Working With The Need For Physical Routine
      • Key Temperament Traits
      • Temperament Defined
      • Temperament Tools and Tips
        • Temperament Resources
        • Temperament Tips
      • Your Child’s Temperament
        • Temperament and Temporary Care
        • Your Child’s Temperament-Based World
      • Temperament Videos
    • Attachment & Socialization
    • Early Literacy
    • Nutrition & Fitness

Tips for Working With Activity Level

group of four pre-schoolers rave to kick a ballTips for Working with a Child Who Is Very Active

Friends, Family and Home

  • Give her quieter activities to do.
  • Play safe physical games, and take walks as a family.
  • Encourage him to play outside with friends with adult supervision.
  • Let family members know when a baby is being held too long and needs to be put down.

Learning, Childcare and School

  • Let teachers know that she is an active child.
  • Ask teachers to allow him to walk around, give special jobs, etc. when your child is restless.
  • Be sure outside and/or active play time is provided daily at school.
  • Limit time in cribs, playpens and swings.

Activities and Television

  • Limit time watching television.
  • Keep her busy and moving with outside time, play and chores such as putting up his toys.
  • Help him learn to sit still when older by playing board and card games that are short.
  • Provide safe floor space for baby to roll, crawl and move around.

Guidance and Discipline

  • Watch her closely when she is near sharp objects, streets, or climbing.
  • When he is restless, have him dust furniture or run around the yard.
  • Teach her how to calm down when she is overactive, such as slow breathing or walking, or rub her back.
  • Discipline him by using an activity rather than time out.
  • Babyproof your home to protect active children.

bored, blonde-haired, blue-eyed four-year-old looks wistfully out windowTips for Working with a Child Who Is Less Active

Friends, Family and Home

  • Play quiet activities but also introduce activities that are fun and active.
  • Plan family walks and bike rides, trips to the mall and other active outings.
  • Play quiet activities such as board games or cards with your child.
  • Plan play dates for your child and his friends to become more active.

Learning, Childcare and School

  • Provide her with quieter activities such as puzzles, matching games, and play dough.
  • Use childcare programs with a low child-staff ratio to ensure he gets enough attention.
  • Ask teachers to balance her time between physical and nonphysical activities.
  • Choose a childcare program that encourages children to play actively outdoors and indoors.

Activities and Television

  • Give him art materials, small figures such as animals and building toys.
  • Limit television to less than 10 hours per week for older children, less for younger.
  • Involve her in physical play activities with other children.
  • Visit the playground often.
  • Provide infants with interactive toys that encourage movement.

Guidance and Discipline

  • Encourage him to be active but understand his need to be quiet and calm.
  • Provide active chores but also calmer ones such as folding socks or setting the table.
  • Require outside time or doing something active before or in exchange for TV time.
  • Make sure to stop and play, hold and talk to your quiet baby.

Related Video

  • Feeling Loved

    Children need to establish a loving relationship with a dependable care giver from the time they are infants. This video will show you how.
  • Getting Along

    It's important to teach your child how to get along with others in spite of differences in temperament.
  • Who Is My Child?

    In this video, you will learn about how our temperament traits make us different from one another.
  • What Makes Up a Child’s Temperament?

    Find out about the different aspects of temperament traits.
  • Temperament Traits

    Understand the different traits that make up your child's temperament.
  • Do Your Child’s Temperament and World Fit Together?

    Learn to balance what your child needs from their environment because of their temperament and also what they need to learn to adapt to.

    play GAMES

    watch VIDEOS

    Full Steam Ahead
  • Home
  • Contact KERA
  • Privacy Policy
PBS NPR American Public Media BBC

© 2023 KERA