The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-04-19
Exercise for Young Children.

Whether systematic exercise should
be employed for the physical develop
ment of infants and young children ia a
question that has been frequently asked
and to which no very definite answer
has been given. Some years ago consid-
cradle attention was bestowed on the
subject, and several very ingenious de-
vices were suggested by which infants
and very young children might exercise
their muscles. The "baby jumper" is
perhaps the best remembered of these.
1t was largely advertised, and for the
time had considerable sale. but now
one rarely hears of its existence. In
considering the form of exercise that
might be employed for very young chill
dren, it should be borne in the
mind that at no period in life does
the organism exhibit greater
developmental activity than during the
first years OF existence. Hence it is not
advisable that fatigue should be allowed
to depress the vital powers, and so inter-
lere with the process of growth and nu-
triton. At the same time it must be re-
membered that a desire for exercise
seems to he inherent in the infant. Sir
William Jenner has graphically pointed
this out, and compared the spontane-
Gus activity of a healthy child to the
Quiesance and fear Of movements exhib-
tied by child suffering from the rick
cts. This can be seen at a glance, for i
a young child be stripped and laid on
bed it will appear how ceasless are it's
movements, how each limb is brought
into play, and with what almost contin-
uous action it seems as itendeavoring to
turn itself inside out. This natural ex-
ercise ought to be encouraged, and in
stead of being kept, as is
too frequently the case for
the greater part Of the day tightly held
in its nurses arms, or confined in its cot
weighed down with heavy bedclothes
carefully tucked in, which prevent its
slightest movement, it ought for some
time each day to be allowed to roll Free
ly on mattress, lightly and loosely
clad, 50 that it can indulge freely and
unrestrained in the natural and instinc-
tive exercise of it's limbs. As the infant
gets older, ITS desire to exercise seems
if possible to increase. and it is never
tired of creeping about and making pre-
mature attempts to walk. Whilst these
efforts should be encouraged, they
should never be undul y prolonged. As
the child grows older, and becomes firm
cl 4CS lccI, COluUA1IcO u1OtcIuCILS
seem to become it's object, and these are
best encouraged by the use ofthe ''ball."
When the limbs are firmly set, the rock
ing horse may be introduced into the
nursery, but we should not permit it's
uses till after the fifth year. The sew
enth year is the earliest at which sys-
tematic exercise should be introduced,
and then these ought to he of the sim
plest kind-as ordinary drilling, extern
prov Drove Of the Suggestions i that have
reached US of the use of the t1apeze,
dumb bells, and the like at so early an
age. What seems to be of the most i'm
pOrtance, and what is generally over
looked, is the necessity of securing for
the young child complete freedom for
all its movements, and thus permitting
it to engage in spontaneous exercise
without let or hindrance London Lam
not