Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce part 15: Promote children's physical activity and movement skills

Physical activity and movement skills are vital areas of a child's development as they impact on health and well being and interconnect with other areas of development too.

The optional unit in the Level 3 Diploma, 'Promote young children's physical activity and movement skills', explores in depth the role of the early years practitioner in supporting this.

'This is an important unit, especially now that we are very focused on healthy living,' says Gary Simpson, lead for Quality Learning and Development at the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF). 'In the sector there is an emphasis on nutrition and maintaining a healthy diet, but we need to consider physical activity too.

'We know that encouraging young children to be physically active now encourages them to continue being active throughout their lives. We need to do this if we do not want to see a generation grow up as couch potatoes.'

Mr Simpson says early years training has always contained an element on physical activity, but rising obesity and the drive for healthier lifestyles has sharpened the focus of this unit.

'When I was nursery manager it was my experience that a lot of our children coming to nursery had very limited opportunities to play outside because they don't have gardens at home. Parents these days are anxious about letting their children play in the streets.

'Physical activity is connected with every other area of development. It is so important to know about child development so you understand where a child is and can provide appropriate opportunities to challenge the child. For this you need to know the individual children well, because what is challenging for one child may not be for another.'

With knowledge of a child's developing skills and interests, an able practitioner can set a challenging and stimulating environment and be rewarded with one of those special 'Look! I did it!' moments.

A key aspect in this is being able to balance risk, health and safety and challenge. In teaching this part of the unit, says Mr Simpson, 'we discuss what the difference is between something being a risk and something being a danger. If you are providing a risk which is manageable, then you should provide that child with that opportunity.

'We talk with the students about the activities in their nurseries, and then we go out into an open space such as the local park and ask what they could do in that space without equipment, without climbing frames, trikes, bats and balls. You actually don't need any of that to promote physical activity, especially with the under-twos.'

Parents can also get involved, adds Mr Simpson. 'We had a football competition across the nurseries in the group with the fathers playing. It was so good on many levels. We had the fathers involved and the children enjoyed seeing their dad playing sport.

'We also ask students whether they take part in physical activity themselves. They have to be good role models for physical activity. When it comes to physical activity you don't just have to talk the talk but you have to walk the walk. You have to get up and get moving to encourage the children.'

More fun than exercise

Kelly Breach, who works at LEYF's Angel Community Nursery, says she chose to do this unit because she spends so much time playing with the children outdoors.

'I wanted to learn more about what I could do with them. I love being outdoors myself and I have always been active. I like to encourage the children to get out. Everything we have indoors we can also do outdoors. We have a little shelter so they have a book corner and we can do reading and drawing outdoors as well as play rough and tumble or explore.

'It was one of the first things I learned when I started here that whatever the weather, we go outside. We have all the clothes for the children - wellies, waterproof trousers, coats, scarves, hats and gloves so they can keep warm.

'We have some children who don't seem to go out and run about much except when they come to nursery and their legs are not very strong, so they find it really hard to ride the trikes. If they don't have the opportunity or the motivation to get stronger and develop their muscles, they are never going to manage.

'It is up to us when they come to nursery to help them become more active. We have a couple of children who are already a bit overweight, so I try to get them moving around - and enjoying it.'

The secret, says Ms Breach, is to make it so much fun they don't really notice they are exercising. 'For my group time today I played a music and exercise CD. We had such fun. It was hilarious. The music was playing and they had to follow commands - "sit down, stand up, sit down" - and they had a great time. I was exhausted at the end, but they still wanted to jump around!'

Next month Our learners, and trainers, give their overview of their learning journey taking this qualification.

AIMS AND ELEMENTS

The optional unit 'Promote young children's physical activity and movement skills' is designed to introduce learners working with children in their early years to the importance of physical activity, with an emphasis on gross motor and movement skills. It assesses the learner's competence in planning and implementing physical activities and routines and encourages evaluation of the effectiveness of practice.

The main elements are:

• Understand the importance of physical activity and movement skills for young children's development, health and wellbeing, including being able to explain the growth of movement skills in young children and how these skills affect other aspects of development.

• Be able to prepare and support a safe and challenging environment for young children that encourages physical activity and the development of movement skills. Be able to demonstrate in your own practice how young children are kept safe when undertaking challenging physical activities, and explain the importance of natural outdoor environments for their physical activity and movement skills.

• Be able to plan and implement physical activities for young children.

• Be able to build opportunities for physical activity into everyday routines.

• Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of provision in supporting young children's physical activity and movement skills.

KEY POINTS

• Ensure the opportunities for physical activity you provide are fun, varied and stimulating.

• Focus on different areas of development, such as balance or hand-eye co-ordination, and make a list of simple active games and songs.

• Watch and learn from your more experienced colleagues to see how they encourage the children's movement skills.

• Ask to visit outstanding settings with excellent outdoor environments and practice, and think about the difference between their provision and practice and your workplace.

• If you regularly take the children on walks to the shops or park, plan a themed walk - for example, a shape walk seeing how many different shapes they can identify on the way.

• Think about incorporating physical activities into everyday routines.