Nursery World - A Parent's guide to ... Physical development

Hear 'physical development' and you'll probably think of the health benefits that a good diet and lots of running around can bring your child. In fact, physical development is fundamental to every aspect of your child's life.

Just how important it is to your child's all-round progress is now recognised in the revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), where it is described as a Prime Area of Learning and Development (see box overleaf).

WHAT IS PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT?

'Physical development' can be subdivided and defined in various ways. There are the two broad categories of activity:

Important too are sensory development - sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell - and our ability to deal with all the sensory stimulation of the world around us.

The revised EYFS also includes 'self-care', such as brushing your hair and teeth, and 'healthy eating' in its definition.

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