FIGHTING aliens on the computer and watching cartoons on TV – just two of the favoured “activities” for today’s children.
But a study by drinks firm Capri-Sun has found parents are not happy about the amount of exercise their kids get. Almost 70 per cent believe other mums and dads are lazy when it comes to playing with their children.
Meet six active toddlers thrust into sport from a young age by their parents.
Oliver Milchard
FIGHTING-FIT Oliver goes to a toddler-specific martial arts class with dad Matt.
The 15-month-old loves learning the self-defence moves and even practises kick-boxing. Matt, a 39-year-old pantomime promoter, says it has really improved his son’s confidence.
Matt, who lives with Oliver’s mum Laura, 39, a dancer, in Greenwich, south-east London, says: I never wanted Oliver to sit in front of the telly for hours on end. Every Monday he spends half an hour getting a taste of some of the moves and protocol and, most importantly, has fun.The normal age to start toddler martial arts is three but the instructor let Oliver join in and he loves it. I’m sure it will stand him in good stead in the future.
Orlaith Langley
WHEN her mother Alice pulls the family car into the car park of the local gym, cute Orlaith’s eyes light up.
Leonardo Rodriguez
MUM Natalie takes 12-month-old Leonardo to hour-long salsa classes twice a week.
Her husband, a 34-year-old DJ, shares the view that dancing is great for encouraging young children’s imaginations.
Natalie, a 36-year-old language teacher from St Albans, Herts, says: “Ever since he was small, Leonardo has responded to music so he’d obviously heard it when I was pregnant.
Isabella Scott
DRESSED in her pink tutu, two-year-old Isabella is ready for her ballet class.
Full-time mum Becca, 39, says daughter Isabella loves pointing her toes to the music and says the classes have turned her from a shy baby into a confident girl.
Becca, who lives with husband James, 41, an accountant, in Guildford, Surrey, says: “The tots’ ballet classes teach the girls how to act out a story through dance. She loves coming up with new actions and showing them to me.
SPORTS-MAD two-year-old Heidi has been going to football and ballet classes since she was 18 months old.
Her mum , a 26-year-old personal trainer from Sunderland, thinks that sporty pastimes will help keep the toddler out of trouble.
She said: “I wanted Heidi to have a healthy focus that would keep her away from vices.My husband Simon and I always allow Heidi to say if she doesn’t want to go but she loves it.“She’s an only child so social interaction is great for her confidence, especially the football, where she is surrounded by boys.”
Cybele Napper
BUDDING tennis player Cybele hopes she will play at Wimbledon one day – even though she has just turned four.
Her mum Francesca, 41, a management consultant, and dad Howard, 53, a yoga teacher, started Cybele’s tennis lessons when she was two.
Mum-of-two , from Kensington, west London, says: “When she started Teddy Tennis, she didn’t know a lot about sport. Now she’s learnt about scores and rules. Classes have pictures of teddy bears playing tennis and they play musical stories to help the kids learn rhythm and remember rules.”
