1 Can children move spontaneously between the indoors and the outdoors? Children will be most motivated when they can choose where to go.
2 Are there opportunities for large and energetic movements indoors as well as outdoors? Such opportunities will be especially necessary when it has been raining solidly for a week. Soft play, dancing, small climbing frames and balancing apparatus can provide these experiences inside.
3 Do you plan for regular risk assessments and safety checks?
4 Have you found ways to demonstrate to parents the value you place on physical development? Nurseries often have displays relating to maths or literacy but neglect physical development. A display showing all the different movements children can do on a climbing frame provides an interesting talking point.
5 Can children repeat experiences regularly to develop their skills and confidence?
6 Do you sometimes provide language to accompany children's actions? It is not desirable to bombard children with talk when they are concentrating on movement, but practitioners can help children to make links between their movements and words like 'up', 'down', 'fast', 'slow', and more finely descriptive words like 'creep' or 'slither'.
7 Can experiences be adapted so that children with special needs, or children who lack confidence, can take part?
8 Is there a balance between children being able to explore and experiment freely, and being helped to learn skills like hammering nails? When a child wants to join two pieces of wood together, she or he will be highly motivated to learn how to hammer effectively.
9 Does your planning and resourcing promote collaboration? Two-seater bikes and swing barrels for two or more prompt children to work together to solve problems and co-ordinate their movements.
10 Is much of your equipment movable and adaptable? Adaptability maintains children's interest for longer and offers more challenges.
