ST. LOUIS, Dec. 18, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- For parents looking to positively channel their children's creative energy into activities that enhance their motor development, a new exercise video may be just what the doctor ordered.
"Team Up! For Your Toddler's Health" provides parents with 30 minutes of sequential activity designed to increase a young child's ability to focus. The video promotes the growth of emotional and social skills, body awareness and balance through the development of gross motor skills.
The lively routines combine new lyrics to familiar folk songs with colorful animation and active choreography specifically tailored for preschool-aged children.
According to Cara Kuehl, president of Just A Mom Marketing, whose company developed the video, this age group was targeted because, as a mother of three toddlers, Kuehl realized there were few resources available to assist parents during these crucial years.
"I thought that my children were healthy because I was feeding them nutritious foods and they were getting adequate exercise by simply running and playing," says Kuehl. "However, like many parents, I worried about health issues like childhood obesity and learning difficulties -- topics that I was confronted with daily in the media."
After discussing her concerns with her pediatrician and early childhood motor specialist Jodie Bertish, Kuehl quickly became aware that young children -- and their parents -- are facing challenges unlike those of any other generation. Today's hectic lifestyles neither promote nor provide time for the development of fundamental motor skills essential to healthy growth.
Kuehl enlisted the services of Bertish, a licensed occupational therapist, to coordinate a series of structured physical activities that parents could do with their children to help them reinforce the milestones essential to toddlers' motor development. She also recruited a cast of "parents" and "children" to perform the routines and demonstrate how they should be executed.
The video begins with a warm-up, performed to the tune of "Brahm's Lullaby," focusing on stretching and preparing young bodies for exercise. Subsequent routines address eye-hand coordination, developing rhythm and listening skills, cardiovascular (whole body) movement, muscle control and agility, balance, and locomotor movements. The 30-minute work-out concludes with a cool down, also performed to "Brahm's Lullaby."
Designed to be both parent and child friendly, the catchy lyrics appear on the screen as the routines progress. Kuehl has also included reference links on The Three Squares Website providing additional resources for parents.
"I believe that my children are a mere reflection of me, and it is my responsibility to teach by example," says Kuehl. "I hope that parents will benefit from this video and will use it to enhance their relationship with their young children and promote a lifestyle that will reap a lifetime of benefits."
Just A Mom Marketing, LLC (JAMM) is the parent company of The Three Squares. JAMM is committed to the development of age-appropriate products and services designed to make learning about the importance of proper diet, exercise and sleep a shared activity that is both fun and easy.
The Three Squares logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3146
MEDIA: For media passwords to access video clips from the DVD, fact sheets and photos, please contact Kary Bannister at kbannister@slpronline.com or 314-726-6111 ext.206. Full length copies of the DVD are also available for review, contact Kary Bannister for more information.