| There is a worrying trend of increased inactivity in | | | | outside, others will always choose the more sedentary |
| preschool children. Many children spend a bulk of their | | | | inside activities provided inside. It is a good idea to |
| times in sedentary activities, particularly in homebased | | | | observe children and encourage those who tend to |
| activities such as television, PlayStation and videos. | | | | stay inside to come outside for selected activities. |
| While a portion of down time for preschoolers in these | | | | Reading or drawing outside on summery days can be |
| type of activities is considered acceptable, many | | | | a good way to initiate outside play. Including games |
| children have become used to sitting down to watch | | | | such as Duck Duck Goose, ball skills development and |
| someone else provide them with entertainment rather | | | | Simon Says can help children become used to physical |
| than using their bodies and natural creativity to | | | | activity while also learning important skills in following |
| discover their world. | | | | instructions and turn taking. |
| Parents and caregivers need to provide activities that | | | | Providing children with corporate opportunities to |
| not only encourage children to become more physically | | | | create outside can be another method of moving the |
| active, but also to develop pre reading skills in their | | | | more sedentary children outside. While we can |
| children through active play. | | | | encourage self-choice and, asking a child directly to |
| While it is important to make sure our children are in a | | | | participate can help them feel included and involved. |
| safe environment, it is also important that centres | | | | Some good ideas in this category are the use of |
| provide room for running, crawling, and moving around. | | | | painting, paper mache, messy play and water play. |
| A mixture of adult initiated outside play and free play | | | | Ask children to set it up with you, and give them a |
| can work best as then children who are not exposed | | | | sense of ownership by directing what type of |
| to a range of physical activity outside their centre can | | | | materials they will need to complete the activity (such |
| have the scaffolding required to learn new physical | | | | as types of paper, colours of paint or themes. |
| skills. | | | | Music and movement sessions incorporating dance, |
| Children who are confident physically are much more | | | | ribbons, and parachutes move easily outside. Building a |
| likely to become more confident in academic pursuits. | | | | fort or a tent together can be a fun exercise that |
| There is a strong correlation to confidence in physical | | | | allows those sedentary children to have a well loved |
| skills and the ability to persevere when faced with | | | | result- a place they can sit quietly outside. |
| another type of learning challenge. Many children today | | | | Physical confidence will benefits our children and helps |
| have become children who are able to read and write | | | | them to be able to cope with learning in other areas. |
| from a young age but not able to feel confident about | | | | Children who develop sound physical skills during their |
| their bodies. While they may be able to communicate | | | | early years are more likely to achieve and persevere |
| through the written word, they are unable to climb, run, | | | | when faced with academic challenges once they |
| hop and jump. All these skills are essential for our | | | | arrive at school. It is important to encourage even the |
| children, and if not learnt at an early age can have long | | | | most reluctant child in physical games and activities to |
| term effects on our children's academic and | | | | counteract the pervasive habits many have of |
| professional performance throughout their life. | | | | excessive sedentary activities. |
| While some children relish any opportunity to go | | | | |