SUZY PRUDDEN'S EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

Sound, non-obsessive exercises for children from four weeks to four years. As Burton White (The First Three Years of Life) notes in the introduction, children this age have three chief interests--their main caretaker, mastery of their bodies, satisfying their curiosity--two of which are addressed by shared parent/child exercises. With Prudden's graduated, highly specific regimens, parents can promote the body development that leads to mastery, while enhancing their relationship with the child through close physical contact. Starting from simple baby massage for newborns (which seems to relieve fussiness) the exercises change to support the physical tasks of each age group. None of this is the least bit clinical: Prudden briefly expalins the stage of development, then the purpose of the exercise. (""Toddlers catching balloons love this exercise. It allows them to improve their concentration and eye-hand coordination while having a wonderful time."") The exercises are designed to take from 5 to 30 minutes a day, depending on the child's age and ability to concentrate. Useful and fun--and totally separate from the mania for early skill training.