Physical Development - Part 1
YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT - Part 1
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Creating opportunities for physical development
Developing children’s physical skills is an essential element in an Early Years curriculum. Children need to have developed the ability to control their movements in order to do many of the tasks that are expected of them in school. They also need to become physically fit in order to cope with the many demands of the school day, which is usually longer and far more tiring than the early years routine.
Creating opportunities for physical development is also important in the longer term as children, as well as adults, need to develop a positive attitude towards physical activity and exercise in order to remain healthy. In addition to this, children need to have the opportunity to develop spatial awareness and to learn to assess risks as part of their learning experiences.
Young children require constant and careful supervision for all activities involving physical skills and it is imperative to keep health and safety a priority when providing opportunities for physical development.
In this article we take a closer look at an overview of the provision of physical activities. Next time we will continue to delve into ways of providing opportunities to develop physical skills.
Physical Development and Exercise
It is important to remember that physical development is a process and that children will gain control of their movements at different rates. Some children will learn to catch a ball quickly and with ease, whereas others need more support and help. Therefore, the opportunities that are provided must be appropriate to the specific child. This is a very important fact, as a child who finds a task difficult is likely to lose confidence and may give up rather than return to that activity.
Good diet and exercise form the backdrop to a healthy lifestyle both in childhood and in later years. Young children are naturally restless and keen to be active and should be encouraged to maintain their positive attitude towards physical activity. Physical activity helps keep children healthy, strong and mentally alert. Studies over the last few years point to the lack of exercise in childhood as one of the causes of health problems in later life.
Physical exercise has been proven to benefit social and emotional development, and if children find exercise fun and fulfilling, they are likely to develop positive attitudes to physical activity. Mastering skills such as riding a tricycle or walking on a wall results in children gaining confidence and independence. Other physical activities, such as kicking a ball, also help children to release inner aggression and frustrations in a positive way, rather than during play with other children. Kicking or batting a ball can help children to feel in control and quite powerful and allows them to have a certain sense of achievement. Furthermore, playing alongside other children, for example throwing and catching a ball, also encourages their social development.
It is important for children to acquire physical stamina and to develop strength in order for children to cope with the increasing demands of growing up. In this respect, one must remember that children who enjoy an activity will stay at it and develop stamina without realising it. Healthy children are usually perfectly capable of being their own judge of when they are tired and will stop in good time. However, it is the parent or carer’s responsibility to help children recognise when they are becoming tired and hot and become aware of their own bodies when they are active. Build in some moments of rest within an activity and ask children to think about how they are feeling. Assisting children in making such simple observations will provide the foundation for more structured activities later on in life.
Besides developing stamina, children need to develop some control over their bodies and learn to move safely. The ability to balance is a key element in helping children gain control over their bodies. There are many physical activities that involve balancing, for example riding a bicycle, hopping, jumping or walking on a low wall. Most children enjoy these type of activities as they are exciting and there is an element of control and risk.
The Role of the Adult
It can all be summed up in one word – supervision. However, we need to allow children some freedom, yet help them to know their limitations and consequences of their actions. However the adult chooses to do it, aim to encourage the child’s enjoyment of exercise and physical activity. It will pave the way for a healthy life!
What we do about it at e-niko
We have left it to kids to dictate what they like and enjoy! Our selection of toys that encourage physical activities is based on toys chosen by children for children. When it comes to enjoyment and "fun units" they know best. We only helped in the selection in as far as the quality and the safety aspects are concerned - they did the rest of the job!
Here are some fabulous toys kids can't get enough of :
1. Bobby Car ride-on vehicle
2. Snail - animal space hopper
3. BIG John Loader
4. Junior Swingball
5. Sharky Float
6. Soccer Swingball
7. BIG Power Bike
Author: Eniko Laszlo
Copyright: e-niko Ltd, 2004, All rights reserved
Disclaimer: All information on this site is
provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice
provided to you by any health care or other professional or
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