CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the goals for young childrenŐs physical development.
2. Describe appropriate activities for encouraging young childrenŐs physical development. Ľ Integrate health and 3. Plan experiences that will help children develop healthy nutritional habits.
4. Involve children with special needs in activities to encourage physical development.
5. Celebrate diversity through activities aimed at developing a healthy child.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
1. Children need to develop fundamental motor skills, not participate in exercise programs that correspond to adult standards of physical fitness.
A) Physical education is important, because US children are increasingly obese with associated physical illnesses and limited physical skills.
B) Physical education should address agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed.
C) Primary children should engage in at least 60 minutes of developmentally appropriate physical activity (in segments of less than two hours) each day.
D) Fitness Standards (beginning at 6 years of age) can be found at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/home_kids.aspx
E) Fitness goals begin with childrenŐs exposure to activities but emphasize development of physical skills within the context of meaningful activities.
F) Developmentally appropriate instruction recognizes that motor development involves a stable sequence of development and that individual children develop at different rates.
G) Gender should not be a determinant of physical activity.
2. Planned activities should be individualized to match the skills of different children.
A) Movement activities should emphasize exploration of space and the body.
B) Jumping over objects can be interesting and is easily individualized.
C) Children should be encouraged to climb, but not higher than one foot per each year of the childŐs age through kindergarten.
D) Obstacle courses should encourage creative solutions.
E) Rolling and tumbling can be done outside or on mats.
F) Parachute games can be adapted for children of any age.
G) Games should emphasize movement for the whole group, rather than just for one person.
H) Ball activities should begin with large, soft balls for very young children, and can be varied with beanbags or other objects. Games should include rolling and experimentation with different ways of throwing and catching.
I) Primary children can begin learning to kick and bat the ball by practicing with a stationary target.
3. Children with Special Needs
A) Children with visual disabilities need well-lit play areas and brightly colored play equipment with tactile cues.
B) Children with auditory disabilities should have visual cues for start and stop times.
C) Many children may need modifications due to lack of strength, endurance, or coordination
D) Teachers should consult with children's physical therapists (if applicable) before involving the children in unusual activities.
4. Health, Nutrition and Safety
A) Health care is a traditional emphasis of preschool programs that is frequently overlooked today. Health education can begin when children are two years old.
i. Personal routines help children learn healthy habits and routines and the reasons for them. Teachers and health professionals should model and explain sanitary procedures.
ii. Education can allay children's fears about medical procedures and teach simple first aid by making those procedures more familiar and understandable.
iii. Early childhood programs to prevent drug abuse should focus on modifying personality characteristics associated with drug abuse, as well as providing information about drugs and AIDS in an open and supportive way. Teachers should be well informed about these issues.
B) Food is inevitably linked to culture and social experiences. Food in ECE setting should be nutritious.
i. Teachers should control the sugar, salt, and fiber in food.
ii. Teachers are responsible for choosing foods but children should be responsible for choosing the quantity that they eat.
iii. Early childhood nutrition education does not require memorization of the four food groups, but may instead use more obvious and specific categories.
iv. Toddlers should not be offered foods that may present choking hazards.
v. Teachers should introduce new foods individually, together with familiar foods, and should encourage but not force children to taste new foods and food combinations. Adult models have a large impact on children's willingness to try new foods.
vi. Cooking encourages experimentation and learning about foods.
a) All food projects should prepare nutritious foods.
b) Children should be active in cooking projects.
c) Cleanliness should be emphasized.
d) Cooking can incorporate science activities, mathematics, literacy and language.
C) Safety Education
i. Fire safety education usually includes visits from firemen, fire drills and the importance of treating fire with care.
a) Every classroom should have an emergency fire plan, and that plan should be discussed and practiced with children.
b) Children need to be familiar with and trusting of firefighters.
c) Children should learn to dial "911" or "0" in case of emergency.
ii. Traffic safety programs should teach children how to cross a street and recognize traffic signals.
a) These programs can only be successful if they are supported by parent activity.
b) Dramatic play as well as real-world experience can foster traffic awareness.