In my experience, exhausting a child can be easy, if you are well rested. However, for those of us that work, cook, clean, or do all of the above alone being well rested is a rarity. Based on my experiences with my two year old daughter, here are the three most effective ways to completely exhaust your child. The Obstacle Course What I do to expel her energy is setup a safe yet challenging obstacle course. For example, scattering her toys in a strategic manner all over the living room floor, setting up tall piles of pillows and blankets in between the toys, and wrapping her favorite toys and noise-makers in her "blankies." This will make her climb up and over the pillows and blankets (building muscle and fatigue), unwrap her toys from the blankets (mental stimulation and fatigue), and let her switch from playing from one toy to another, so she won't get too bored of one toy in particular. After about an hour or so, she is more worn-out and low on energy, thus causing her to take an early well deserved nap. It keeps her happy, healthy, and thinking, all of which are great for a growing child. As the child gets older changing up the organization of the layout, adding and subtracting obstacles, raising and lowering certain piles of pillows and blankets will keep them interested in the obstacle course. In addition to the living room, setting up bath time in a similar way is just as effective. Using toys in the bath not only keeps your child entertained, but also expends there energy further. This will allow you to bathe your child with relative ease. Agility Training Another way to deplete your child's energy is by playing music while you are cleaning. Music with a good rhythm usually get children dancing until they are exhausted. The rhythms of Katy Perry, The Rolling Stones, and, my personal favorite, The Red Hot Chili Peppers get my daughter seriously boogieing. Next, in the midst of our scrubbing and dusting, she watches and learns how things are being done. This inspires your child to help you with remedial tasks and instills cleanliness in them at an early age. Dancing and cleaning should expend your little gladiators energy reserves making it easier to put your child down for a nap. The end result is that you will not only develop a stronger bond with your child, but also improves the length and quality of there naps. The Downward Dog Lastly, doing a simple exercise routine with your child encourages a healthy lifestyle and discipline early on in your child's development. Simple workouts like a beginner yoga routine can have tremendous benefits for the family both physically and mentally. Yoga, depending on the type of routine, improves clarity of mind, motor skills, flexibility and a number of other attributes. For parents with children that love to mimic their actions this last tactic will be particularly effective. If yoga is not your preference than walks, swimming and a lengthy game of catch will also work. These three methods accompanied by a steady stream of encouragement from the parents are guaranteed to not only tire your little gladiator, but also establish a stronger healthier bond between you and your child. By: Benjamin A. Browning