Walking is great for you – and your child

You have probably heard the praises of walking being sung many times over the years now. It’s wonderful for physical health and is good for breaking up a long day.

Aside from the physical benefits, there are many reasons why going for a walk is great. Not just for you, but for your young child, too!

Walking is a sensory experience

A trip out in the pram for your baby is an opportunity to experience many different sights, sounds and even smells. Walks to both new and familiar places are a fantastic chance for your child to take in the world around them.

Quality time together

For you and your baby, a walk together can be a bonding experience. Taking the time to explore places together, just the two of you, can make you feel closer. You can use what you see to initiate conversations with your child – even if they aren’t quite ready to say anything back yet!

Spending time in the daylight can help your baby sleep

Physical exercise and spending time in fresh air is great for you both. A 2004 study in the Journal of Sleep found that babies who spent more time in daylight during the early afternoon slept for longer periods at nighttime, and had less interrupted sleep.

Further Reading

Harrison, Y. (2004). ‘The relationship between daytime exposure to light and night-time sleep in 6–12-week-old infants’. Journal of Sleep 13(4):345-52.

Available online: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00435.x