11.1 Physical Development Introduction

Young children learn best by doing. Active physical play supports preschool children’s brain development and is a primary means for them to explore and discover their world. Physical activities enhance all aspects of development, including cognitive, emotional, social, as well as physical.

Cognitive growth occurs when children problem-solve how to negotiate an obstacle course or how to build a fort. Emotional development is supporting when children’s confidence and willingness to try new activities increases.

Social development is supported through the interaction with other children and the development of friendships through active play.

Being active also has clear benefits for children’s health and fitness.

The preschool years are a prime time for children’s physical development. Preschool programs have a key role in maximizing children’s developmental potential during this important time by providing well-designed, regular, and frequent opportunities for physical play. Although many of young children’s physical activities are exploratory and self-directed, children greatly benefit from adult encouragement and guidance when learning new physical skills. Teachers tap into children’s intrinsic motivation for movement by designing meaningful, culturally appropriate, and accessible play activities in which all children feel challenged yet successful.

Figure 11.1: These children learn to navigate obstacles by practicing it on this play structure.[1]

Teachers are important role models in the area of physical development. Children benefit immensely when teachers engage in physical activities alongside children and share in the fun of physical movement. Just as important, preschool programs collaborate with family and community members to promote children’s physical development. Family support and participation foster children’s active lifestyle habits. Promoting active lifestyles during the preschool years will benefit children throughout their lives. [2]

References

• Image by the California Department of Education is used with permission
• The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission (pg. 132)

This page titled 11.1: Physical Development Introduction is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer.

• 
  : Introduction by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer is licensed CC BY 4.0.

Teachers play a critical role in supporting children’s physical development because physical skills need to be explicitly and deliberately taught. Physical play, both indoors and outdoors, is not merely “free time”; it requires thoughtful planning and intentional interactions. The following guidelines will help teachers support children’s physical development.

Developmentally appropriate movement programs accommodate a variety of individual differences among children.

Children often learn best through maximum active participation. There should be a daily quest to minimize sitting, waiting, and watching so children enjoy meaningful participation in physical activities. Maximum purposeful participation at some level is a challenging but attainable goal.

The physical safety of children’s play environments should be of paramount importance at all times (children should be able to take reasonable risks).

Family members working as partners with teachers are key to enriching the physical development of children.

Inclusion of children with special needs is beneficial to all and promotes greater understanding of and respect for diversity. Children are multisensory learners with unique learning styles.

To maximize teaching effectiveness, movement skill learning should first focus on improving body coordination and increasing awareness of body movements. The product, or quantitative aspect of movements (e.g., how far they jumped, or how fast they ran), should not be the initial focus of learning.

Children generally learn new movement skills more easily when they can focus on one specific aspect of the skill at a time. Children benefit from ample opportunities to practice new physical skills.

Children benefit from integrated learning activities across the curriculum.

Frequency, intensity, type, and duration are the four key parameters to designing active physical play to enhance children’s fitness and health. The four parameters may be thought of as the FITT principles (Frequency, Intensity, Type, Time [duration]).

• “Frequency” refers to the regularity of engaging in physical activity; frequent short periods of physical activity each day are preferred (children should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping).
• “Intensity” refers to whether activities are sedentary, mild, moderate, or vigorous; moderate to vigorous activities are preferred.
• “Type” deals with the specific kind of physical activity engaged in; for young children, the types of activities usually take the form of active games, child-initiated play, as well as rhythms and dance.
• “Time” (duration) refers to the amount of time in which the child is engaged in physical activity; accumulating at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day is recommended.

Physical skills are more easily learned when clear instructions and appropriate feedback are provided in children’s home language using familiar communication methods.

Allow children to take risks. Risk taking allows children to challenge themselves, and to assess their own skills and abilities.[1]

References

[1] The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission;

Content by Clint Springer is licensed under CC BY 4.0

This page titled 11.2: Guiding Principles of Supporting Children’s Physical Development is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer.

• 
  : Guiding Principles of Supporting Children’s Physical Development by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer is licensed CC BY 4.0.

The following recommendations apply to establishing the preschool environment as related to the three Physical Development strands: Fundamental Movement Skills, Perceptual–Motor Skills and Movement Concepts, and Active Physical Play

Teachers promote optimal physical development when they provide children with positive encouragement and quality instruction (both indirect and direct). Teachers “set the stage” and “create the climate” for movement skill learning.

The immediate physical environment is a powerful influence on children’s physical development. The physical environment, play materials, and play themes can all be skillfully designed to promote active play. Both indoor and outdoor play environments should encourage fun and enjoyable learning.

Indoor and outdoor play environments should include a variety of appropriately sized equipment that promotes both gross and fine motor development.

Learning is most meaningful when the environment and materials reflect and accommodate children’s individual interests, backgrounds, and present abilities. Embrace the richness of diversity by learning about children’s culture, language, customs, music, physical activities, and focus on the unique gifts that each child brings to the learning environment.

Take time to build safety into both the indoor and outdoor play environments.

A safe environment reduces the need for adults to say no. It is important to establish clear expectations. Limits should be set rather than rules (rules eliminate reasonable risk) in order to ensure personal safety. Be particularly cognizant when working with children who have disabilities that impact their impulse control and judgment. Also, differences in cultural expectations for girls and those for boys, as well as language differences, may impact the critical need for building safety into children’s regular play environments.

Playground equipment, such as climbing, hanging, and sliding structures, should be checked regularly for safety hazards. Movement experiences should include exploration, discovery, and appreciation of the natural environment. Nature provides rich, diverse sensory experiences—sounds, smells, textures, and sights—that are beneficial for young children’s sensorimotor development.

Thoughtfully designed movement experiences, guided by adults, support children’s physical development. Most children need more than just free play to acquire movement skills. Children benefit from teacher-guided, structured physical activities, particularly when they are learning new movement skills. Structured but flexible play activities that emphasize active participation, exploration, and self-discovery are ideal for practicing new, challenging physical skills.[1]

Figure 11.2: Not only are these children allowed to go up the slide, their teacher has added a rope to help them.[2]

Additional strategies that will help children’s physical development:

Provide opportunities that include diverse cultural themes. Challenge children’s abilities by asking questions.

Encourage persistence during challenging tasks.

Modify activities to increase participation by children with disabilities and special needs. Observe and analyze children’s skills to facilitate planning for learning opportunities.

Learn about children’s prior experiences and personal interests. Promote and be aware of the progressive development of skills. Plan meaningful, purposeful, and connected activities and games. Create culturally diverse scenarios for skills.

Create meaningful scenarios that provide the opportunity for the integration of skills with other curriculum concepts.

Use both unstructured and structured strategies, as well as multisensory experiences, in your teaching. Create developmental activities that provide a sense of success.

Provide opportunities for repeated practice in a safe environment. Provide plenty of encouragement.

Create activities that provide automatic feedback and a sense of accomplishment. Provide clear, specific feedback to facilitate children’s problem-solving process.

Provide a variety of tools and media to promote participation.[3]

 Pause to ReflectHow can family culture, language, and diversity be incorporated into fundamental movement activities? How can ideas and materials from children’s different cultures be included in fine motor activities and games?
 Research Highlight: Must Young Children Sit Still in Order to Learn?

Researchers have stated that high activity levels, impulsivity, and short attention span for sedentary activities are characteristics of typically developing preschool-age children. Children naturally need to move in order to learn. Being physically active boosts children’s attention span and capitalizes on multisensory learning so that children are more likely to retain academic concepts such as colors, shapes, and the alpha-bet. The need for movement-based learning experiences may be particularly important for children with special needs. Research has shown that for children who have autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, being seated on a movable surface (e.g., a therapy ball) resulted in increased ability to stay on task and remain seated during classroom learning activities. However, children seated on a static surface such as a bench, chair, or floor were less able to remain on task. Experts have suggested that adults’ efforts to entice young children to sit still, pay attention, and be quiet during learning activities often run contrary to children’s natural needs for physical movement. [4]

Sources:

J. A. Blackman, “Attention-Deficit/Hyper-activity Disorder in Preschoolers. Does It Exist and Should We Treat It?” Pediatric Clinics of North America 46, no. 5 (1999): 1011–25.

T. Hunter, “Some Thoughts About Sitting Still,” Young Children 55, no. 3 (2000): 50.

T. Schilling, and others, “Promoting Language Development Through Movement,” Teaching Elementary Physical Education

17, no. 6 (2006): 39–42.

D. L. Schilling and I. S. Schwartz, “Alternative Seating for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Effects on Classroom Behavior,” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 43, no. 4 (2004): 423–32.

D. L. Schilling and others, “Classroom Seating for Children with Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder: Therapy Ball Versus Chairs,” American Journal of Occupational Therapy 57, no. 5 (2003): 534–41.

12. T. Hunter, “Some Thoughts About Sitting Still,” Young Children 55, no. 3 (2000): 50.

References

• The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission (pg. 136-137)
• Image by the California Department of Education is used with permission
• The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission
• The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission (pg. 137)

This page titled 11.3: Environmental Factors in Supporting Physical Development is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer.

• : Environmental Factors in Supporting Children’s Physical Development by Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, & Clint Springer has no license indicated.