Physical Development (01:37)

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Professor Robert Winston focuses on the activity level of five children from the study, who are now 2-year-olds. Active children usually grow into healthy and confident adults.

Teenage Parent (03:55)

Toni Buckingham became pregnant with her daughter Charlie at age 16; she has a supportive family. Charlie develops well and begins walking at 10 months. Activity and energy levels are strongly tied to genes.

Activity Test (03:02)

Winston tests his activity level against those of the 2-year-olds. Adult activity levels are tied to their jobs and lifestyles. Though dictated by genes for toddlers, their environment also has an impact.

Passive Parenting (06:09)

Two-year-old James Cachia lives in a cramped, messy apartment with his mother. His parents have learning difficulties and are unemployed. The activity test shows James is naturally active, but he has little room to move around.

Development of Premature Baby (03:11)

Andy Pearson is an amateur racing driver and hopes Calvin becomes interested in the sport. Despite a premature birth, Calvin is seemingly developing well but his mother Helen Kirkham still worries.

Height and Weight Prediction (05:18)

Nathan Price has had a large appetite since birth and grows faster than the rest of the children in the study. He eats an organic, vegetarian diet. Winston predicts Nathan will be just below average height and overweight as an adult, if he does not have an active lifestyle.

Postnatal Depression (04:55)

Caroline and Tim Scarborough suffer from depression after the birth of Eve and gain unhealthy amounts of weight. They begin focusing on getting healthy and often take Eve swimming, which can benefit brain development.

Sporting Ability (01:14)

About 20% of sport skills are inherited and the rest comes from diet, training, and attitude, which is usually encouraged by fathers in early childhood. Fathers are more likely to engage children in rough, physical play.

Emotional Changes (03:39)

Kirkham leaves Calvin's father after discovering his affair and moves to her parents' home. Calvin could be missing out on important physical play, which is usually encouraged by fathers. Both parents notice emotional differences in Calvin and his sister Lauren.

Charlie's New Dad (03:45)

Toni's boyfriend Rob Plaster moves in and helps care for Charlie. Bath time releases relaxing hormones and Winston believes it is important for parents to share the duty. Plaster is a soccer fan and hopes Charlie shows an interest in playing soccer.

Asthma Diagnosis (03:40)

Carol has been unable to give James more outside play time. He has asthma and has been hospitalized multiple times. Asthma could limit his growth and make it difficult for him to be active later in life.

Child Encouragement (01:26)

Eve is one of the least naturally active children in the study. Caroline and Tim are among the most encouraging parents, which could increase her interest and confidence in physical play and sports.

Catching Experiment (03:34)

The ability to catch is natural, but the skill must be practiced. Winston has the children undergo a catching test to measure their hand eye coordination and persistence. Nathan and Eve do well, but Calvin struggles.

Calvin's Development (02:21)

Calvin undergoes assessment to see if his premature birth has hindered his mental development. The expert worries he has attention or concentration problems.

Development and Behavioral Test (06:39)

The children undergo a test by a child development expert. Charlie has the most advanced physical skills, while Eve scores the highest mentally and Nathan the highest behaviorally.

Calvin's New Dad (03:01)

Kirkham divorces Pearson; Calvin likes to her new boyfriend, Andrew. Calvin is developing better, but Pearson feels isolated from his children.

Credits: Child Of Our Time 2002: Active Or Idle (00:44)

Credits: Child Of Our Time 2002: Active Or Idle