Kristin Kliewer knows the difference that movement can make to a young child.

She has seen each of her three children, now 8, 6 and 3, develop a love and knowledge of music by becoming physically active in a local Kindermusik program.

Kindermusik, a Greensboro, N.C.-based company, has developed a musical education program for infants, toddlers and older children that uses movement as a way to learn about music.

For Kliewer, of Newton, Kan., whose youngest child, Elise, has participated in the program since infancy, this movement has opened the door to a string of active, healthful choices for her children.

"All of my children are very active," she says. "They don’t go anywhere without singing or dancing. At this young age, their work is play. One of the ways they experience music – and the world – is through movement."

Dr. Francie Ekengren, a family practice physician in Wichita, Kan., says because toddlers already are so active, they don't need an exercise program.

Dr. Ekengren instead encourages parents of her young patients to involve their kids in fun activities that also harness the power of a toddler’s natural mobility. Programs like tumbling, gymnastics and swimming lessons are good sources of activity, as are trips to the park, zoo or playground.

Kliewer, like many parents, takes her children to the park for an afternoon of entertainment instead of parking them in front of a televised cartoon.

"I think they learn at an early age to be active," Kliewer says. "If you start young, it becomes a part of their lives. It becomes ingrained."

Dan Bruring, owner of a Midwest-based chain of gymnastic clubs, agrees.

"I’ve seen kids who start tumbling programs as soon as they can walk," he says. "It gives them an appreciation of doing athletic activities and gets them out from behind the television."

The benefits of encouraging a toddler to exercise can be long term. According to research published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, children who are more physically active are less likely to become obese. What’s more, limiting certain activities while increasing physical activity can make a big difference. A two-year study of 90 families with obese 8- to 12-year-old children who became more active and watched less television found the children had significant decreases in weight.

This may seem like common sense, but it is sense that seems to be lacking in many American families, as the number of overweight children continues to increase.

To ensure that a growing toddler is progressing within a typical range, parents should regularly take a child to the pediatrician for checkups that include examinations of the child’s height and weight. If a child is found to be obese, a physician may suggest more aerobic activity, such as walking, running or jumping, says Dr. Ekengren.

But the best thing parents can do for their toddler is to set a good example by being active parents themselves.

"If your child sees you doing active things they will [do them], too," Dr. Ekengren says. "It’s not that different than helping your child develop good reading habits. We all know that if you read to your child, they are more apt to become avid readers. The same is true with exercise."

Even modifying simple activities can impact a child’s exercise level.

"Have your child walk behind the wagon, rather than pulling them in it," Dr. Ekengren says. "Run and play with your child in the yard or at the park instead of sitting on a bench and watching them play."

The majority of overweight children are obese because of behavioral, rather than other, causes. According to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine research, only about 1 percent of obese children in the United States has a hormone problem or a genetic disorder causing obesity.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances suggests that toddlers 1 to 3 years old have an ideal weight of 28.6 pounds and a daily requirement of 1,350 calories. Typically, children who are 10 percent over the ideal weight are considered overweight, while those who are 20 percent over the ideal weight are considered obese.

If a child is prescribed a weight modification program by a physician, it is likely to be one of increased aerobic activity, rather than diet, Dr. Ekengren says.

Enrolling a child in a program that teaches tumbling, gymnastics or dance is a good way to keep them active. Other activities, such as horseback riding, can be good ways for older children to burn calories.

"It doesn’t have to seem like work,” Dr. Ekengren says. “Exercise should be fun for kids."

Increasing activity levels can make a big difference for these children, as can making simple dietary changes – such as eating more fruit and vegetables.

Again, this is an area where parents can make a big difference by setting a positive example. Fewer fast foods and more raw fruits and vegetables can be just what children need to fuel their calorie-burning activities.

Want to see more?

• The Value of Play: Why Kids Just Need to Be Kids
• Outdoor Fun, Lots of Learning: Brave the Heat and Have a Ball with Your Toddler!
• The Miracle Toddler Diet
• Talk about it!

About the author: Laurie Dove is an iParenting contributing writer.