Mealtimes and Activities: 15 Months
Get moving
- Play along with your child to show him how much fun physical activity can be. Dance, roll a ball, or chase a balloon.
- Running, jumping, skipping, and hopping let kids burn off energy and feel good.
- Hang out at the playground.
Eat smart
- If you have a picky eater, mealtimes can be challenging. Your job is to give your child healthy food choices. His job is to choose which foods and how much to eat. If you try to control his choices, you’ll just start a battle over eating that no one will win. You want to raise a child that eats only when he is hungry, not one who overeats. One way to do this is to let him decide how much and what he eats. Keep in mind that his serving sizes are much smaller than yours – about 1 tablespoon per year of age. Learn more about feeding your toddler.
- You do not have to completely change the way you eat to have a healthy diet. There are lots of healthy choices in every kind of cuisine. For more ideas, see Healthy Eating for Toddlers.
Pull the plug
- Set up a safe space where your child can explore. For example, fill a bottom kitchen drawer with plastic containers, wooden spoons, and other safe items. Let your child build, explore, and create.
- Turn on music instead of the TV and encourage your child to dance. Watch your child’s inner star emerge.
Drink well
- How long to continue breastfeeding is a very personal choice. You should continue as long as it is working for both you and your baby.
- Getting children turned on to the taste of water at a young age can really help prevent bad habits from starting. Remember to offer water as a beverage choice regularly and enthusiastically.
Continue to Development milestones
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