home » Relationship » How to temper a child with the sun and water at home? When to start and how to harden a child with weak immunity: air and sun baths, water procedures and physical activity Hardening of children 3-4 years old.

How to temper a child with the sun and water at home? When to start and how to harden a child with weak immunity: air and sun baths, water procedures and physical activity Hardening of children 3-4 years old.

Tempering children 4 years old is more of a necessity than just a whim of parents. As practice shows, it is vital for the child's body, because it allows the child to fully develop and increases his vitality. Tempering children 4 years old allows you to increase appetite, which is very important for children. By hardening, the immunity of the child increases. The body gets used to adverse conditions and learns to deal with them, which allows you to protect the child from colds, runny nose and other diseases that are caused by excessive hypothermia and a decrease in body resistance.

So, if you decide to harden a child of 4 years old, then you need to take into account several factors that affect this process. Firstly, the hardening of a child of 4 years old must be carried out if the child is really healthy. If your child is already sick, then the start of hardening procedures will not give the desired effect, but will only lead to a complication of the disease. In addition, it is necessary to gradually increase the intensity so that the child's body has the opportunity to get used to adverse conditions.
Consider the fact that during the hardening process, its constancy and systematicity are very important. That is, you need to harden the child at any time of the year, it is especially useful. When carrying out hardening, take into account the individual characteristics of the child, including his age, state of health, physical development etc. The most important thing that parents should understand is that the hardening process can only be carried out if it causes a positive reaction in the child. If hardening is a source of negative emotions, then it will not bring its result and can cause other diseases.

Hardening a child 4 years old: at home, how to carry it out?

It is quite possible to harden a 4-year-old child at home, there are several ways to do this. The most gentle are those that are carried out at low air temperatures. It is worth starting from 3 - 4 minutes, gradually bringing the maximum time of the air bath to a couple of hours. Dousing with water is one of the simplest and most effective ways. It is recommended to start dousing with a water temperature of 28 degrees, gradually lowering it by 1 - 2 degrees. Over time, it is necessary to reach 16 degrees, and it is recommended to douche every day.

HARDENING CHILDREN 3-4 YEARS.

For those whom parents began to harden from the first days of life, it will undoubtedly be easier to study, they will not have to miss classes due to frequent runny noses and sore throats. But even starting to harden a child at three or four years old and even at five or six years old, you can do a lot.

During the day - for sure!

Tempering procedures should also be included in the child's daily routine with the same obligation as food, sleep, walks. We offer the following schedule.

In the morning - air bath for 15 minutes; of which 6-7 minutes we recommend doing gymnastics.

After an air bath and gymnastics - washing up to the waist with water, the temperature of which is 16-14 degrees, and if water procedures were not performed before - 27 degrees.

Before and after washing - gargling. In the first days with warm water - 36-33 degrees; every 5 days, lower its temperature by 1 degree, bringing it to 18-16. This procedure is especially useful for weakened, often ill children. The initial water temperature for them is the same, but it must be reduced more slowly - every 7 days. If the child is ill, rinsing does not stop, but the water temperature should not be lowered. It is even better to gargle with warmer water - one degree higher than before the disease.

Most auspicious time for sunbathing - from 8 to 11 hours, duration up to 30 minutes, but in two doses. The child lay down for 5-15 minutes in the sun, then rested in the shade and again for 5-15 minutes under direct sunlight.

A seasoned child can replace morning washing to the waist with a general douche or shower; or, getting out of bed, let him wash himself and wash up to his waist, and do the douche after a sunbath.

Foot contrast baths - after daytime sleep.

This procedure can be replaced by dousing the legs. The initial water temperature is 28 degrees, lowering it every 8-4 days (for weakened children - every 7 days), bring it to 16 degrees.

All hardening procedures are best done in the morning and afternoon, around 9 and 15 hours. Studies have shown that at this time of day, children preschool age adaptive reactions to temperature fluctuations develop better.

Basic rules for hardening a child

1. You can start hardening at any time of the year.

2. Hardening is effective only when it is carried out systematically; without constant reinforcement, the results achieved decline.

3. It is impossible to sharply increase the duration and strength of hardening effects. Violation of the principle of gradualness can cause hypothermia and illness in the child.

4. Hardening procedures should not be started if the child is sick.

5. The effectiveness of hardening procedures increases if they are carried out in a complex manner.

6. The child should like the procedure, evoke positive emotions.

Together with mom and dad

It is known that children love to imitate adults, and it will be very good if parents use this ability of a child in order to instill in him a strong habit of gymnastics and tempering procedures. Morning exercises children and parents can do together!

Special observations have established that in children who even only three times a week (in autumn and winter, respectively dressed) perform gymnastic exercises in the air, the activity of the bacterial flora of the nasopharynx decreases, in other words, they are less threatened by acute respiratory diseases.

By the age of 4, the child is already noticeably more enduring than at the third. He can, for example, continuously walk for 20 to 40 minutes. Train him to walk! A walk with mom and dad out of town, to the park will leave him with joyful impressions and will be very useful.

One of the most favorite summer activities for children of this age is cycling. At 3-4 years old, kids easily master a three-wheeled, and from 5 years old, a two-wheeled one. The duration of continuous cycling is from 15 to 30 minutes.

In winter, children are always attracted to sledding from the mountains. Very good! Let only a child, according to a well-known Russian proverb, fall in love with carrying sleds: make sure that he himself goes uphill with them! So he will not get cold, and physical training will be more effective.

From 4-5 years old, teach children to ski; first - to stand on them correctly, then - to walk without sticks, and only when they have mastered this skill well, you can give them sticks.

A kid of 4-5 years old can also be put on skates. At first, he will get tired after 10-15 minutes, but the more confident he starts to feel on the ice, the longer he will be able to skate - 40-60 minutes (with breaks every 20 minutes).

Bathing and swimming.

Swimming in open water is the most effective hardening procedure. Many parents are now successfully learning to swim in a home bath. infants. Children early age teach swimming in the pools of children's clinics. But if your child isn't a swimmer, use the summer to teach them how to float.

Of course, the baby can start swimming at an air temperature of at least 25 degrees (if it is hardened - at least 24), on calm days and only in a clean pond, with a gentle sandy shore, where there are no snags, algae, stones. Teach him to calmly enter the water, not to be afraid to open his eyes in the water. Let him play with the ball, try to dip, and you, standing next to him, help him keep his balance. And watch - is he cold? If appeared " goose pimples»- now go to the shore, dry off and warm yourself in the sun!

After the first acquaintance with the water, tasks are already possible that prepare for swimming.

"Get it." The child must quickly find a toy or a stone laid on the bottom (in shallow water, of course).

"Who sooner." Enter the water to the waist, turn to face the shore and, on command, quickly run ashore.

"Who is higher." Crouch and jump out of the water as high as possible.

"Hide under the water." Plunge headlong, without pinching your nose and mouth with your hands.

Teach your child how to breathe properly in the water. Let him, after taking a short breath, lower his face into the water and exhale slowly through his mouth, as if blowing on hot tea, but so that small bubbles form on the surface of the water. On the count of "one" inhale over the water, on "two, three, four, five" - exhale into the water. After repeating this exercise 12-16 times, you can proceed to the next stage of preparatory exercises.

"Rinsing clothes". Enter the water so that it is just below the waist, put your legs apart, bend down, lower your hands into the water and make them move left and right, back and forth.

"Mill". Rowing with your hands in the water: one hand rows, the other sweeps through the air.

"Float". Standing in the water, take a breath, hold your breath, sit down, plunging under the water, wrap your arms around your knees, and press your chin to your chest. The water will push the baby to the surface.

"Jellyfish". After the baby learns to make a "float", having completed this exercise, spread his arms and legs to the sides.

"Scissors". Sit near the shore in shallow water and move straightened legs up and down.

If within a few days the child gets comfortable with these exercises and does them with pleasure, try placing him with his chest on a rubber circle, arms extended forward. By kicking the water from top to bottom, balance is maintained, and the child swims. At first - without immersing the face, then exhaling into the water, and to inhale, turning the face to the side.

The next step is to learn to lie on your back. Let the child, standing with his back to the shore, slowly sit down so that his chin touches the water, maintain balance with his arms outstretched to the sides, then tilt his head back, plunging the back of his head into the water and gradually taking a lying position. Helping himself with the movements of his hands, he will lie on the water.

If this doesn’t work right away, it doesn’t matter, at first, lightly support the novice swimmer.

It remains to learn how to slide on the chest. Entering the water, the child should turn to face the shore, sit down, stretch his arms with his palms down and, taking a breath, push off from the bottom. Show him how, in a position resembling an arrow, to swim to the shore; then teach him to do alternating rowing with his hands and quick movements with his legs.

The thermoregulatory mechanisms of the child are trained under the influence of both strong, but short-term cooling and relatively weak, to longer ones. In addition, researchers have found that hardening is most effective when not only individual parts of the body are cooled, but the entire body. This means that contrasting foot baths or dousing alone, for all their benefits, will not give the maximum effect. If you want your child to grow up strong, use the whole complex that we talked about!

If you have been tempering a child for more than a year, you can recommend a combination of water procedures followed by air baths, first in the room, and in the summer in the open air. After pouring or showering, do not dry your baby dry. Remove only large drops of water with light touches of a terry towel. Let it dry, remaining naked: as a result of the evaporation of moisture, the body is further cooled.

But it is impossible to allow the child to tremble. If he is cold - you need to do a light massage, rub it with a towel. Within a few days, repeat the douche followed by an air bath - and the child will get used to it, additional warming is not required.

We remind you that this procedure is potent, and hardening cannot be started with it.

Caution, gradualness, systematicity are three principles that must be strictly adhered to when tempering a child.

Hi all! When our kids once again begin to sneeze and have a temperature, we take out the first aid kit and sigh sadly. Well, here it is again! And hands just drop, because there is no end to colds!

Medicines are no longer effective, because the body is simply used to them. And I have a suggestion for this. Or maybe we will teach the little one not to medicines, but to healthy lifestyle life? What does that require? Learn how to properly temper a child at home. Or rather, the rules and techniques of this wonderful procedure.

First, answer yourself the question: “Are you ready to change your lifestyle for the sake of the health of the little one?”. After all, hardening is a regular event that should become a ritual. In addition to sometimes having to sacrifice your interests, you will sometimes need to take part in the process! You must be an example! Only in this way the child will understand that the event is quite natural and necessary.

So, are you ready? Well then, here's a list of rules for you. Please study before proceeding!

Doctor's recommendations. Do not be lazy, take the baby to the pediatrician. What if the procedures that you prescribe yourself do not suit the baby? Get medical support.
The earlier the better. After birth, babies get used to the effects of cold more easily. So do not wrap up your treasure more than necessary. Take care of your health without delay.
Regularity. Once you start, you don't need to stop. After all, a break in a week will become critical. Children's immunity will return to its previous positions.
Subsequence. Children in the snow and barefoot, this is just the result of a lot of hard work that we see. On the way to this are long months of training. It is always good to start with comfortable temperatures. And lower them just a degree every 5-7 days.
Individuality. The approach is different for everyone. Consider the desire and state of health of each baby.
Mood. In no case do not force! If the baby is naughty, postpone the event for another time or day. The process should be fun! After all, we are going to make it a regular and everyday ritual, right? Why cause negativity in the crumbs?
We begin to harden only a completely healthy toddler. No colds or chronic exacerbations.

Every point is important. But more often parents have a question about the latter. Yes, it is not recommended to start, if the child is sick. But what if the hardening is in full swing, and then the baby caught a cold?

If the child is sick?

In this case, rule number 1 applies. A doctor's consultation is required. Depending on the state of health will depend on what to do. Usually, at any elevated body temperature, procedures are completely canceled.

And when to resume? Not earlier than a week after complete recovery. The body must recover completely. Otherwise, instead of benefit, we will get a new cold.

If the disease goes away with minor symptoms, the doctor may allow the hardening to continue. But! Throw in a few degrees. For example, you doused a child with +25° water. For the period of illness, do it with water + 28 °. Those. the mode still has to be gentle!

But, I hope that during the hardening of your crumbs, no cataclysms will happen. Then, having studied the rules, let me talk about the methods.

Methods and methods

There are several hardening methods. In fact, with a certain habit, you can combine them all with each other! And you can choose a few and systematically do it. Develop a habit, such as brushing your teeth. So choose!

Air.
Water.
Sun.
Non-standard events.

Well, first about the most popular. And then I will try to surprise you with a non-standard technique!

Air

This is the most gentle and gentle way. But even here you can use a lot of interesting tricks! The simplest is air baths. Recommended for the smallest, i.e. ! First, leave the baby naked for 15 seconds, then increase the interval of stay by 5-10 seconds. So bring up to 30-40 minutes!

Such baths are taken at + 22 ° in the room. When the child gets used to these manipulations, you can complicate the task. By airing, lower the temperature every 5 days by a degree. But this is already after six months, and best of the year. Bring the reading to +17°.

Oh yes! I want to ask you, how often do you ventilate the room? You need at least 5 times a day for 15 minutes. And don't forget about walking! By the way, how much do you wrap the baby? Did you know that children most often catch colds from overheating? Dress them for the weather. Don't be too zealous.

Are you afraid of freezing? So let them move more actively. Ahhh, don't want to? Then option one: move together! Organize outdoor games! Trust my experience, kids love group games. Especially with parents!

Water

I don’t know about you, but I am delighted with those mothers who take their children to the pools even before they are a year old. More precisely, swimming begins as soon as the umbilical wound heals. During this period, he had not yet forgotten how to swim. And it is good to develop in the pool.

Is there no such possibility? Is there a bath at home? Then get more water, buy a special circle and go! Do you know how to tumble? Don't pull out your ears! Other than that, here are some other great options:

Rubbing.
Pouring.
Washing feet in cold water.

Such manipulations can be carried out both on the whole body and locally. Yes, it's better to start locally. Let the legs get used to one value first, then the arms, bye, back, tummy ... Not clear yet? I'll try to explain!

rubdowns

If the little one is regularly sick, first rub it until it is slightly reddened with a terry or flannel mitten. Then soak this glove in water. Wipe hands and feet from toes upwards. Back and breast from the middle to the sides. And the stomach is strictly clockwise. You need to start from + 35 °. And bring to +20° ... +22°.

More interesting recommendation found out. After wiping, after all, it is necessary to wipe the body dry with a towel, until a slight redness. So, when you get used to it, wipe, leaving the body a little damp. Let it dry naturally. This will give additional hardening to the body.

Yes, one more piece of advice: such manipulations should be carried out not earlier than six months of age. Especially at .

In addition, do not forget about washing in cool water. Lower your thermometer by one degree every 5 days. Honestly, right after birth, I washed my daughter with water at room temperature. More precisely wiped. The main thing is not to lose this good habit as you grow up!

Pouring

Up to a year, many are already pouring over children. At first, some water is about + 35 °, and as a result, it is brought to + 20 °. And sometimes even less! Look at the child's reaction here.

First you need to get used to the limbs, and then the whole body. As a rule, the head is not doused. And, in general, in most cases, it is recommended to start such events no earlier than 1-2 years. Depends on the health of the baby. And now advice for those parents whose children are especially often sick.

Washing feet in cold water

Great for strengthening the immune system. Especially when the child is often sick. So, every evening we pour water on the legs + 36 °. We gradually lower the boundaries: if the baby is not older than a year old, then up to + 28 °. And when older, then up to + 20 °.

At the end, do not forget to rub to the red heels. It is better to do it before going to bed so that you can immediately lie down in a warm bed. By the way, if the feet are cold, this does not always mean that the baby is cold. It turns out that our heels are able to adapt to environmental conditions.

So do not be afraid to let the baby barefoot on the floor. Of course, within reason. And not for long.

Sun

In general, it's great to have water procedures on the street in the summer! But first you need to develop a habit of the sun's rays. Take the child out only in the morning, before 10:00 and walk only under the crowns of trees.

Then, you can go out into the sun, but after 10:00 urgently into the house! The scorching sun has never done anyone any good. And don't forget the hats.

As for clothes: initially, these are light shirts and shorts. Then you can leave only in shorts, even barefoot! Provided that there is nothing dangerous and piercing on the surface of the earth.

And now, as promised, a few words about unusual methods that help strengthen immunity!

Non-standard methods in hardening children

Tell me, do you allow children to drink drinks from the refrigerator? And believe that the child will not get sick after this? If this is organized correctly, he really will not get sick. Moreover, drinking cold drinks will also become a hardening method! So how do you do it? Very simple. Dear readers, the main thing is to follow the rule of sequence.

In fact, there are several methods and techniques, namely. I chose the most effective and interesting:

Cold cubes from the freezer. You can freeze the juice and give the baby to suck. First, 15 seconds. So, bring the resorption up to 2 minutes. Don't give big cubes and control the time.
Ice cream. Let's start with a teaspoon. And explain that the child does not swallow, but also dissolves.
Gargling with cold water. See if you can add salt to the water. Or make a decoction of chamomile. Rinsing should be started from comfortable temperatures with warm solutions. Lower by a degree, bringing to + 17 °. In adolescents and adults, the lower limit is + 8 ° ... + 10 °.
Drinking drinks from the refrigerator. We take a drink, and give literally a sip - two. And so, every 3 days we increase the number of sips.

Well, how do you like these ways to temper? Really, great? But it can only be applied to older children, at least 3-4 years old.

Well, the technique, I think is clear. You have probably already chosen something suitable for yourself. What if not a secret? Tell in the comments! But choosing is not enough. You need to figure it out, but where do you start?

Getting Started the Right Way

Above, in the methods, I described the temperatures at which hardening can begin. If your child is quite hardened or just healthy, then you should not be afraid. That is, if he is already drinking the juice of their refrigerator, there is no need to train him in sips. Continue in the same rhythm, just adding new methods of hardening.

And the rest need to be handled more gently. Add more complex methods only when the baby is completely used to the previous, simpler one.

Air baths are recommended first. Then water rubdowns are added, dousing the house. When the child gets used to it, in the summer it is possible to do this on the street, in hot weather. Make it harder as you get used to it and grow up. In principle, up to 4 years, you can use all the above methods. And preschool age, 5-6 years old, can be completely released barefoot on the snow! Well, subject to a trained body and a doctor's consultation.

Now tell us what you are doing to make your child stop getting sick often? What methods did you like? What are you planning to try from what I suggested? Leave comments and become blog subscribers. Bye. See you soon!

Many mothers and fathers, long before the birth of a baby, dream of how they will treat him with reverence, run with him in the morning, temper himself with the baby, and actively develop physically and mentally. But, unfortunately, statistics show that only a small part of conscious parents fulfill their plans. Often we feel sorry for waking up a child early in the morning for a run, we are afraid that he will get sick from cold water when pouring. Paradoxical as it may seem, but by such actions we do not protect children's health, but on the contrary, we make the baby's body hothouse and vulnerable. Any temperature difference or external influence ends with a cold, and sometimes more serious diseases.

It is important to understand that young children get sick and this is normal. The child's body is facing huge amount viruses, fungi, bacteria and other infectious agents. This is how a person’s immunity is formed - he learns to resist external factors. Therefore, it is simply impossible to completely exclude diseases (especially SARS). But how these colds will proceed depends on the parents. Why does one child have a cold that certainly ends with bronchitis or sinusitis, and the other kid gets off with only three days of transparent snot? It's all about two factors - the method of treatment and the state of the child's immunity. Everyone has long known that it is not necessary to fight a simple virus, it is enough to provide cool moist air, give the child plenty of fluids and rinse the nose with salted water. But how to strengthen the body's defenses? An important, and sometimes the main factor in building strong immunity is hardening. Today we will talk about ways to properly harden a child.

As the famous motto says - "The sun, air and water are our main friends!". Indeed, hardening is based on three main pillars - solar, air and water baths. But each of the procedures requires special attention and knowledge of many nuances.

sunbathing

Moderate sunlight is incredibly beneficial for health, it is not for nothing that babies are recommended to walk in the sun from the first days after birth. With the help of ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D is synthesized in human skin, which is so necessary for building strong immunity. However, remember that vitamin D is produced only in the first half of the day, until about 10-11 o'clock in the afternoon. Therefore, it is necessary to walk with the child in the morning. It is not at all necessary to expose the baby to direct sunlight, just walk with him on the street, you can even be in the shade. After all, ultraviolet is refracted many times and will certainly reach the skin of your crumbs.

Older children also need sunbathing. However, it is very important to observe the golden mean here, since sunburn- a very unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. Start solar hardening in the summer, with the advent of the first warm days. It is not worth being under the direct rays of the scorching sun, try to sunbathe before 11 am or after 15-16 pm. So you can avoid aggressive ultraviolet radiation. Do not forget to wear hats - scarves, caps and panama hats, which will protect children's heads from sunstroke. If you have just arrived on vacation, do not rush to expose your delicate unprepared skin to the sun's rays - try to cover your shoulders, back and face for several days. Otherwise, sunburn and a ruined vacation will be guaranteed.

If you went to the sea, try to spend more time on the beach - sea air is very good for the health of the respiratory system. When the baby gets used to the sun, you can let him go for a walk in his shorts. Offer the baby to walk barefoot more often, but first make sure that there are no glasses and thorns in the area that can injure delicate skin children's feet.

Air baths

This is the simplest, but at the same time the most risky way of hardening. It consists in accustoming the child to low temperatures. You can start such hardening literally from birth. Teach the baby to be in a cool room for a while - first 5 seconds, then 10, gradually increasing and increasing this time period. It is best to take air baths before bathing - after bathing, the body is warmed up and it is unreasonable to expose it to cold air currents.

In addition, air baths are also regular airing of the room, especially if the room is hot and stuffy. You need to ventilate the room often, every couple of hours. The temperature in the room should be 18-22 degrees. If the baby is cold at the same time, it is better to put clothes on him, and not put a heater. The fact is that radiators dry the air very much, the nasal mucosa suffers from this - dry crusts appear in the nasal passages. In dry air, dust and allergens rise up, causing coughing and other reactions. In winter, when the heating system works on "Hurrah", it is imperative to install a humidifier or constantly hang wet clothes on radiators.

Pay attention to the hardening of the air in the process of walking. This includes a moderate amount of clothing. After all, babies are more sensitive and painful to overheating than to hypothermia. Therefore, there is no need to wrap the baby. One simple rule should be followed - babies should wear one layer more, children older than one and a half years - one layer less than themselves. Small children hardly move, so they should be dressed a little warmer. For example, put on a thin T-shirt and a light blouse? And for the baby, add another layer in the form of a fleece jumpsuit. But children older than one and a half years, on the contrary, need to dress easier, because they are constantly on the move, they are not afraid to freeze, but it costs nothing to sweat.

water hardening

This is the most extensive and, frankly, the most pleasant type of hardening. It is rare that a toddler does not like to swim, splash and splash. Sometimes there are children who do not like water, but in the vast majority of cases this is due to fears. Often parents are to blame for these fears - when they immerse the baby in uncomfortable water temperatures, when they throw the child into the water without support, hoping that he will learn to swim on his own. Remember that you need to teach to water carefully and without violence, then the baby will love to swim for life.

Cold water. Hardening in water is a gradual accustoming to lower temperatures. Once you have brought your newborn baby home, bathe him only in warm water. Until the navel falls off, the water should be boiled - sterile clean. When the navel falls off, you can use warm tap water, and slowly accustom the body to various microorganisms, because the baby cannot grow in a sterile environment. At first, the water temperature should be comfortable - not hot and not cold - about 36-37 degrees, like body temperature. Over time, you can reduce the water gradually by one degree every 3-5 days. But not immediately, but to add cold water while taking a bath. That is, today you bathe your baby at 36 degrees, gradually add cold water and lower the temperature to 35 degrees. Five days later, you also start at 36, but already lower the temperature to 34 degrees. So time after time you can reach 30 degrees, kids older than a year you can reduce the water temperature to 28-26 degrees. But all processes must be gradual!
Bathing. Many mothers feel sorry for their children and believe that they will freeze in such cold water. In fact, a child in cool water simply begins to move more to keep warm. Cool baths and hearty meals the best means for a long night sleep of the child. To give the baby the opportunity to move more in the water, put a swimming ring around his neck, some models can be used as early as a month. Such a pleasant device will significantly improve the bathing process - the baby can swim calmly, easily moving around the entire perimeter of the large bath, and the mother does not need to stand with a hook, holding the baby in the water.
Rubbing. If you have not hardened your baby since early childhood, and now he is constantly sick, you need to start doing this gradually and very, very carefully. Take a terry mitten or washcloth, rub it with the legs, arms, back and tummy of the child. After a couple of days of such manipulations, moisten the washcloth in warm water and repeat the procedure. Gradually, the water for wetting the washcloth should become colder and colder. After wiping, let a little moisture remain on the skin - the baby dries, hardening works, immunity is formed.
Pouring. This method of hardening is not for wimps - it is only suitable for children over two years old. Its essence is that you need to douse yourself with warm water, and then gradually reduce the temperature less and less. Experienced parents harden together with the kids at any time of the year. When dousing, do not affect the head - this is important to know. If the baby is not yet ready to completely bathe, you can teach him to wash his legs in warm, and then in cold water. After that, carefully rub the feet and heels with a terry towel and put the baby to sleep.

Toddlers rarely follow parental advice, but almost always follow their example. Therefore, you need to show the child hardening on their own experience. Douse yourself with water and wipe yourself with a damp towel - the child will definitely repeat after you.

cold hardening

Today it is very common to meet children who have a constant sore throat, even from slightly cold food or drink. Unfortunately, this is the result of the greenhouse conditions in which they were driven by their parents. From childhood, you need to teach your child not to drink hot water, but liquid at room temperature. And with age, you need to teach your child to eat fruits from the refrigerator, drink cold water. If everything is done gradually, you are not afraid of angina. If you are just starting this difficult journey, it is important to take the first steps.

In the summer, start hardening with ice cream. First, give the child ice cream in a melted form, like a medicine, 1-2 tablespoons each - he should dissolve, and not swallow the mass. Gradually, the amount of ice cream eaten can be increased, then you can not wait until it completely melts. When the baby gets used to ice cream, you can let him suck on pieces of ice. For taste, you can freeze into cubes not just water, but fruit juices. Give your child small ice cubes at first, then gradually increase the serving size and mouth hold time. You can prepare your throat for the cold simply by gargling. Teach your child to gargle first with warm and then cold water. With a gradual decrease in temperature, there will be no harm, the mucous throat will be able to adapt and harden. All these methods of cold hardening of the throat are suitable for older children, after three years.

How to start hardening

Many parents complain that they cannot start the hardening process, because the baby is constantly sick. If you have never hardened a child at all and you have it quite painful, it is better to start the process in the summer, when the risk of catching a cold is minimal. Be sure to consult a doctor before hardening - he must give consent to the procedures. Start hardening with simpler and more gentle methods - air and sun baths, gradually introducing more and more new procedures. Make sure your baby is used to the water temperature before you decide to lower it one more degree.

Remember that hardening is a regular and permanent procedure. Only with daily rubdowns and air baths can you strengthen the immune system and achieve a good result. All procedures must be voluntary - only with the consent and mood of the baby. Good immunity is not only hardening, but also a varied diet, frequent walks in the fresh air, a competent sleep and wakefulness regimen. Observe simple rules hygiene, and your baby will not be afraid of illness!

Video: hardening children

Three to six

This age is called preschool - early childhood is already behind us, the stage preceding school entry begins.
For those whom parents began to harden from the first days of life, it will undoubtedly be easier to study, they will not have to miss classes due to frequent runny noses and sore throats. But even starting to harden a child at three or four years old and even at five or six years old, you can do a lot.

During the day, for sure!

Tempering procedures should also be included in the child's daily routine with the same obligation as food, sleep, walks. We offer the following schedule.

In the morning - air bath for 15 minutes; of which 6-7 minutes we recommend doing gymnastics.
After an air bath and gymnastics - washing up to the waist with water, the temperature of which is 16-14 degrees, and if water procedures were not performed before - 27 degrees.
Before and after washing - gargle. In the first days with warm water - 36-33 degrees; every 5 days, lower its temperature by 1 degree, bringing it to 18-16. This procedure is especially useful for weakened, often ill children. The initial water temperature for them is the same, but it must be reduced more slowly - every 7 days. If the child is sick, do not stop rinsing, but you should not lower the temperature of the water. It is even better to gargle with warmer water - one degree higher than before the disease.

The most favorable time for sunbathing is from 8 to 11 hours, duration up to 30 minutes, but in two doses. The child lay down for 5-15 minutes in the sun, then rested in the shade and again for 5-15 minutes under direct sunlight.

A seasoned child can replace morning washing to the waist with a general douche or shower; or, getting out of bed, let him wash himself and wash up to his waist, and do the douche after a sunbath.
Foot contrast baths - after a daytime sleep.

This procedure can be replaced by dousing the legs. The initial water temperature is 28 degrees, lowering it every 8-4 days (for weakened children - every 7 days), bring it to 16 degrees.

All hardening procedures are best done in the morning and afternoon, around 9 and 15 hours. Studies have shown that at this time of day, preschool children develop better adaptive reactions to temperature fluctuations.

Basic rules for hardening a child

1. You can start hardening at any time of the year.
2. Hardening is effective only when it is carried out systematically; without constant reinforcement, the results achieved decline.
3. It is impossible to sharply increase the duration and strength of hardening effects. Violation of the principle of gradualness can cause hypothermia and illness in the child.
4. Hardening procedures should not be started if the child is sick.
5. The effectiveness of hardening procedures increases if they are carried out in a complex manner.

6. The child should like the procedure, evoke positive emotions.

Together with mom and dad

It is known that children love to imitate adults, and it will be very good if parents use this ability of a child in order to instill in him a strong habit of gymnastics and tempering procedures. Children and parents can do morning exercises together!

From 4-5 years old, teach children to ski; first - to stand on them correctly, then - to walk without sticks, and only when they have mastered this skill well, you can give them sticks.

A kid of 4-5 years old can also be put on skates. At first, he will get tired after 10-15 minutes, but the more confident he starts to feel on the ice, the longer he will be able to ride - for 40-60 minutes (with breaks every 20 minutes).

Bathing and swimming

Swimming in open water is the most effective hardening procedure. Many parents are now successfully teaching infants to swim in the home bath. Young children are taught to swim in the pools of children's clinics. But if your child isn't a swimmer, use the summer to teach them how to float.

Of course, the baby can start swimming at an air temperature of at least 25 degrees (if it is hardened - at least 24), on calm days and only in a clean pond, with a gentle sandy shore, where there are no snags, algae, stones. Teach him to calmly enter the water, not to be afraid to open his eyes in the water. Let him play with the ball, try to dip, and you, standing next to him, help him keep his balance. And watch - is he cold? If "goosebumps" appeared - immediately go to the shore, dry off and warm yourself in the sun!

After the first acquaintance with the water, tasks are already possible that prepare for swimming.

"Get it." The child must quickly find a toy or a stone laid on the bottom (in shallow water, of course).
"Who sooner." Enter the water to the waist, turn to face the shore and, on command, quickly run ashore.
"Who is higher." Crouch and jump out of the water as high as possible.
"Hide under the water." Plunge headlong, without pinching your nose and mouth with your hands.

Teach your child how to breathe properly in the water. Let him, after taking a short breath, lower his face into the water and exhale slowly through his mouth, as if blowing on hot tea, but so that small bubbles form on the surface of the water. On the count of “one”, inhale above the water, on “two, three, four, five” - exhale into the water. After repeating this exercise 12-16 times, you can proceed to the next stage of preparatory exercises.

"Rinsing clothes". Enter the water so that it is just below the waist, put your legs apart, bend down, lower your hands into the water and make them move left and right, back and forth.
"Mill". Rowing with your hands in the water: one hand rows, the other sweeps through the air.
"Float". Standing in the water, take a breath, hold your breath, sit down, plunging under the water, wrap your arms around your knees, and press your chin to your chest. The water will push the baby to the surface.
"Jellyfish". After the baby learns to make a "float", having completed this exercise, spread his arms and legs to the sides.
"Scissors". Sit near the shore in shallow water and move straightened legs up and down.
If within a few days the child gets comfortable with these exercises and does them with pleasure, try placing him with his chest on a rubber circle, arms extended forward. By kicking the water from top to bottom, balance is maintained, and the child swims. At first - without immersing the face, then exhaling into the water, and to inhale, turning the face to the side.

The next step is to learn to lie on your back. Let the child, standing with his back to the shore, slowly sit down, so that his chin touches the water, maintain balance with his arms outstretched to the sides and then lean his head back, plunging the back of his head into the water and gradually taking a lying position. Helping himself with the movements of his hands, he will lie on the water.

If this doesn’t work out right away, it doesn’t matter, at first, lightly support the novice swimmer.

Caution, gradualness, systematicity are the three principles that must be strictly adhered to when tempering a child.

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