The purpose of this essay is to address the physical and motor development of children within a school environment. Specifically, the researcher will discuss the developmental milestones for a greater understanding of movement as a basic need. The researcher will present a description of the available resources in order to plan physical activities for children from 0-8 years of age. The researcher will provide practical examples from professional experience. A brief summary will conclude the essay.
Movement is a Basic Need Movement is part of every child’s life and has many benefits in terms of physical development (Saunders, 2002). The simple urge to be physically active is commonplace for children of all ages (Saunders, 2002). Through …show more content…
First, locomotor activity describes movements such as walking and skipping. Second, stability action involves balancing activities as well as jumping. Finally, manipulation describes activities involving tossing and catching (Rivkin, 2006). The NAEYC Active for Life program provides a great resource for daily physical activities. According to Saunders (2002), daily activities are necessary for children to develop and maintain healthy bones and muscular structure. Most important, daily movement has a positive correlation to good mental health and greater learning capacity. Moreover, “Daily developmentally appropriate move¬ment experiences have the potential to shape the lives of children in becoming physically active and healthy for a lifetime” (Saunders, 2002, p. 4). The researcher believes that it is important to realize physical movement influences the cognitive development of children. Thus, when planning the class curriculum, physical activities must be incorporated to meet the children’s developmental needs. It is for this reason that one must understand the developmental stages of children. For example, the following points align with the kindergarten age and depict the key stages of the physical skills that children develop (Pearson, n.d.; Rivkin, 2006). Ages 2 to 3: Walks up and down steps, kicks a ball, tiptoes, runs and dodges, and builds
Movement is a Basic Need Movement is part of every child’s life and has many benefits in terms of physical development (Saunders, 2002). The simple urge to be physically active is commonplace for children of all ages (Saunders, 2002). Through …show more content…
First, locomotor activity describes movements such as walking and skipping. Second, stability action involves balancing activities as well as jumping. Finally, manipulation describes activities involving tossing and catching (Rivkin, 2006). The NAEYC Active for Life program provides a great resource for daily physical activities. According to Saunders (2002), daily activities are necessary for children to develop and maintain healthy bones and muscular structure. Most important, daily movement has a positive correlation to good mental health and greater learning capacity. Moreover, “Daily developmentally appropriate move¬ment experiences have the potential to shape the lives of children in becoming physically active and healthy for a lifetime” (Saunders, 2002, p. 4). The researcher believes that it is important to realize physical movement influences the cognitive development of children. Thus, when planning the class curriculum, physical activities must be incorporated to meet the children’s developmental needs. It is for this reason that one must understand the developmental stages of children. For example, the following points align with the kindergarten age and depict the key stages of the physical skills that children develop (Pearson, n.d.; Rivkin, 2006). Ages 2 to 3: Walks up and down steps, kicks a ball, tiptoes, runs and dodges, and builds