You've showered your kid with a variety of mind enriching toys which taught him about ABC and counting. You've engaged him in as many mentally stimulating activities as possible to improve his cognitive skills, logical thinking and basic problem solving abilities. You've done everything to make sure that your kid's intellectual capabilities are properly nourished and fostered.



But of equal importance is your kid's physical dexterity which is an essential aspect of his overall development that you should never neglect. The aspects of your kid's manual agility that call for enhancement include gross and fine motor skills, muscle strengthening and coordination, and hand to eye coordination.

There are certain guidelines you can follow to ensure that your kid is also being nourished physically.

First tip to do just that is to engage your kid in physically challenging exercises. If you have a toddler, allow for frequent tummy time during the day. It is healthier for him to crawl, roll over, cruise or walk than be tucked in your arms the whole time. Encourage crawling, cruising or walking by giving your kid attractive toys to reach for.

On the other hand, if you have an older kid, you can play tag with him and chase him in the backyard or play the fun and classic hide-and seek. This is a good exercise for both of you as well as a fun parent-child bonding activity. You may also let your little one jump on his child-safe trampoline or ride his ride on toy car. These fun activities are sure to strengthen his muscles and movement coordination.

Second tip is to provide your kid with toys that will enhance both his gross and fine motor skills. Ride on toys and bikes are excellent in developing your kid's gross motor skills while building toys like wooden blocks and wooden train sets are the sure way to improve your kid's finer motor skills. For instance, your kid will enjoy constructing miniature buildings, bridges and trains with the Maxim Wooden 145 Piece Train Set that are at the same time instrumental in boosting fine motor skills.

Third tip is to nourish your kid with proper nutritional diet that he will need to flourish physically. Energy giving nutrients like carbohydrates found in bread and rice will give him sufficient vigour for active play while calcium found in milk and vitamin D that can be acquired by being out in the sun will strengthen his bones. It is important that you consult with his pediatrician about the right nutritional diet to ensure that he gets all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that he needs. Don't allow him to indulge in junk food, which are nothing but empty calories that can ruin your kid's appetite.

While it is very important to ensure that your kid grows up mentally stimulated, it is also necessary to improve his physical skills which are indeed an essential part of his growing up. Who knows? With your proper care, he might grow up as the next Michael Jordan or David Beckham.