Physical Activity & Movement Development in Early Childhood

By Rosalba Maistoru M.A., BCBA

Young children’s physical activity and basic movement development are topics of parental, professional and academic interest. In the United States, the importance of young children developing a basic movement foundation for lifelong involvement in physical activity has received considerable support in much contemporary literature. Appropriate physical activity appears to have the potential to positively influence health, cognitive development and academic achievement. However, there are concerns about the quality of the physical activity and basic movement experiences children receive in preschool, at home and in community settings.

Physical activity is a broad term to describe the movements of the body that use energy. For good health, physical activity develops the health-related aspects of our fitness, which include cardiovascular fitness (heart, lungs and circulatory systems), muscle strength and endurance, flexibility and body composition (percentage of body fat). For physical activity performance in games, sport and dance we develop the movement skill-related aspects of fitness, such as power, speed, agility, balance and reaction time. Although there is a genetic element to these aspects, most of the population can participate in this type of physical activity at a level which will allow them to access many leisure activities.

Over the years, it has become evident that many basic movements develop from an emerging immature pattern, pass through a transitional phase of development and, over time, reach a mature or efficient phase which helps children access the more complex physical activities they meet in late childhood and later in life. Basic movement skill activity, which helps children access physical activities, requires a degree of movement competence. The complex interaction between the developing movement patterns and the movement concepts help children acquire their technical, adaptable and creative movement competence.

Motor development plays an important role in learning, where young children typically use motor skills to explore the environment, engage in social interactions, engage in physical activities, and develop basic academic skills. Gross motor function incorporates those movements, postures, and skills of the large muscles. Gross motor skills affect how children coordinate their body positions, move fluidly from one location to another, and interact with people and objects.

Assessment of gross motor skills focuses primarily on physical posture and skills as well as functional mobility and stability. Physical postures refer to assuming and changing body positions for the task at hand (e.g., prone, supine, sit, stand, kneel). Physical skills refer to actions dependent on large muscle movement (e.g., jumping, hopping, throwing a ball). Functional mobility refers to patterns of locomotion to move self from one part to another (e.g., rolling, crawling, creeping, walking, running).

The early years of children’s lives are ones of rapid growth and development. All children have particular ways in which they tend to learn successfully. Learning, to be effective, needs to build on what a child already knows and an understanding of the ways in which children learn. Young children learn and develop in an integrated fashion. Children learn through an interaction between the motor, cognitive, social and emotional domains. Therefore, in physical education, although children should primarily learn through experiences that focus on basic movement skills, experiences involving the other domains must also be included.

Young children come to early years settings as active, experienced learners with a natural curiosity. They are unique individuals eager to make sense of their world, to develop relationships and to extend their skills. They enter their preschool years with a significant background of learning experiences within their family and with friends, neighbors and relatives. Many will have further experiences of learning through play in attending parent and toddler groups, playgroups or nurseries.

The preschool setting should be a place where all children’s senses are engaged and stimulated. Young children need a range of movement experiences that lead them towards mature basic movement patterns. Expressing and creating ideas, feelings and imagination as well as having opportunities to enjoy all manner of sounds, sights, shapes and textures are vital parts of the young child’s development. They should have opportunities to enjoy music in all forms, participating in playing instruments, singing, moving rhythmically and expressively to music, listening and creating their own music using percussion instruments and everyday objects.

While young children learn by doing and by being actively involved in their own learning, adults have a vital role in supporting children’s learning. Every adult working in an early years setting, nursery and/or preschool, is part of a team. In planning the overall program adults should take account of different stages of development and ensure a balance between group and individual activities. All children should have easy access to resources that encourage them to be independent in their learning.

Individuals responsible for the well being of preschoolers are to be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child’s movement skills. Staff working with young children must become more aware of the impact of important environmental factors on the performance and learning of the basic movement. These environmental factors include appropriate equipment, cue information, feedback and other pedagogy issues. Therefore, teachers must construct the learning environment with specific learning outcomes in mind and then guide children towards these goals.

The role of adults is central in supporting and extending children’s learning through play. Play makes a powerful contribution to children’s learning and is considered a central part of learning at the preschool stage. It provides opportunities for children to make sense of real-life situations, develop awareness of themselves and others, explore, investigate and experiment. It gives them a chance to be actively involved in learning, draw and test their conclusions, develop self-confidence, express their ideas and feelings in many different ways, take the initiate on their own terms, develop relationships, practice skills, build on previous learning experiences and be challenged in a new and exciting environments.

Play and the outdoors, taken together uniquely contribute to learning in young children. The physical outdoor environment provides a special stage for action and can stimulate children’s play, learning, and physical activity. The outdoor space is an extension of the classroom and should be considered another space for learning. Teachers may include planned activities, as well as let ideas emerge from interactions that occur while outside. Teachers who closely observe children playing and learning, and who listen to see what children are inquiring about, are better able to plan an effective program. They can use the outdoors effectively as a learning space by preparing it to maximize learning opportunities.

Outdoor programs should allow for children to choose from activities and materials that are rotated for a variety of experiences. Outdoor spaces, however, must be designed in a way that allows children to take risks while testing their emerging abilities. A safe, well planned environment provides opportunities for children to seek new challenges as they master old ones. Choices should be provided beyond playing extensively on basic, anchored equipment and open play areas. Diverse choices help children learn problem solving. Outdoor special events and seasonal activities should be planned to enhance children’s connection with the regional culture and the environment (plants, animals, customs or outer space). Considerations should be given to each curriculum area (such as art, music, science, language, math) to be explored outside.

It is important to reinforce the key role of play, the indoor and outdoor environment, and the developing of basic movement skills in early childhood settings.

A combination of play and planned movement experiences, specifically designed to help children develop basic movement skills, is beneficial in helping young children in their development. Thus, it is the role of the teacher to think ahead and to prepare the space for children’s play and learning. A large space can be prepared by the educator so that the children can move around freely, with appropriately designed movement experiences promoting indoor and outdoor play experiences, giving children an opportunity to freely practice and develop skills. Regular sessions of physical play indoors are particularly important when the weather limits occasions for outdoor play.

Energetic, physical play that involves running, jumping and skipping helps children to develop balance and coordination as well as an appreciation of distance and speed. Children’s awareness of the space around them and what their bodies are capable of can be extended by climbing and balancing on large-scale apparatus such as a climbing frame, wooden logs and a balancing bar and by using small tricycles, bicycles and carts. Within these contexts children should be encouraged to seek personal challenges that encourage a degree of risk taking but which are set within a safe and supportive environment.

Through opportunities for physical play, children become steadily better at those skills requiring coordination of different parts of the body, for example hands and eyes for throwing and catching, legs and arms for skipping with a rope. They need opportunities to strengthen their lower bodies by running, jumping and balancing. They also become aware of physical play as both an individual and as a social activity, in playing alone or alongside others, in playing with a partner in throwing and catching, in using a seesaw or joining a game with a larger group.

Children’s physical development and movement is linked closely to other aspects of their daily learning.

Children’s physical development and movement is linked closely to other aspects of their daily learning.

Families play a key role in children’s physical activity and parents influence the quality of a child’s physical activity from birth. Physical activity professionals have an important role to play in educating parents and families on how best to support their children’s physical activity outside of preschool setting. As children grow older, the beliefs, expectations and behaviors of their parents become increasingly important. Parents who recognize and reinforce their children’s interest in physical activity and also model enjoyment of physical activity have been found to pass on a positive message about the importance of physical activity. Consequently, their children tend to develop higher perceptions of competence and are generally more attracted to physical activity.

The importance and value of physical activity across the lifespan has long been recognized by professionals in the early childhood field, with the benefits of a lifelong involvement in regular physical activity now well-documented and generally accepted.

Recently, more attention has gradually been moving towards the childhood years as the best time to develop a foundation for lifelong physical activity. As such, young children’s physical activity and basic movement development is now being acknowledged as a key issue and it is widely accepted that the early childhood years are the time to begin the development of the skills, the knowledge and the attitudes that lead to active and healthy lifestyles.