Dear Editor Carol,

At what age can children start to run? We have a 4 and 6 year old and they want to run with Mom and Dad in the spring.

Dear Brad,

Hi! Running is perfect for 4 and 6 year olds. They are natural runners. It's probably not easy to keep them from running!

Four year olds will do lots of sprints and then take breaks. My six year olds at school are now running about 1/4 mile nonstop. Of course some can run more, but we don't recommend long distance mileage for young kids.

Please browse around the site for some ideas.

We have some popular programs for kids. The Run the Seasons program would be perfect for your kids and they wouldn't have to wait for the spring. They can start in their own backyard right now.

As for running with Mom and Dad, the idea is great, but let them run with you their short distances, perhaps at the end of your long runs, if you are runners.

Have fun watching your kids develop as runners. Plan for a fun run and take lots of photos! Happy holidays!

Meet Jake. He looks cute in his KidsRunning.Com tee.

He's a great kid, lives in Arizona and goes to day care. He hasn't started school yet. He loves trucks, stuffed animals, and likes lots of attention. Oh, yes, Jake loves to run.

Jake's just 4 years old but too fast to catch in the frame of the camera. How old do you have to be to start running? Some kids learn to run before they learn to walk. Try to slow Jake down! Try to get him to stop running.You might get him to stop for a little bit, but then he'll be on the go again.

Kids must have invented running intervals.

Do you have any questions about a child's running program? Feel free to email the kid's editor at rwedit@rodale.com.