Essential Resources: PD – supporting children's gross motor movement

Children are biologically programmed to use their whole bodies to explore and interact with their physical environment. Through crawling, walking, running, rolling, jumping and balancing, they are using their large muscles, or gross motor skills, which is the basis for ‘all other more complex skills’ – such as swimming or football – according to Dr Lala Manners of Active Matters.

‘Offering children access to environments and resources that can develop these skills will support children's agility, core strength, stability, spatial awareness and co-ordination. Without these essential skills, children's language and social and emotional development may be compromised,’ she adds.

Tania Swift, director of B Inspired, which delivers training in physical development and play-based learning to early years practitioners, says that although children do not necessarily need resources to be physically active, certain pieces of equipment can ‘enhance children's development’ and make activities more engaging. ‘Using props to accompany movement activities can act as visual prompts to “explain” new concepts to children. For example, using a balloon as a prop, practitioners can ask children to stretch high into the sky like the balloon; squat down on the floor as the balloon falls; make themselves “big” as they blow up the balloon and run around and fall down as the air is let out.’