LABORATORY ACTIVITIES & PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES
General Observations
Neonatal Period, Early Infancy, Later Infancy
(birth-12 months)
Potential sites for class observation
 Classroom
 Gymnasium
 YMCA, YWCA nurseries and infant programs
Potential sites for individual observation
 Home of family members or friends with infants
 Church nursery
 YMCA, YWCA nurseries and infant programs
Equipment
 Mat or sturdy table
 Small toys
Infant availability for on site class observation
 Infants of faculty or staff
 Infants of students
 Infants of family members
 Infants of friends
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Wash all toys, mats and other equipment that will make contact with
the infant
 Have all students wash their hands
 Assist parent(s) with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 Give parent(s) the option of letting students have physical contact with
infant or limiting contact to parent and/or instructor
 If possible have students observe several infants at different
developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Reflexive movements
 Rudimentary movements
 Stereotypic movements
 Parent-infant interaction
 Infants movement with toys and objects
Toddler Period and Early Childhood
(2-5 years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 Preschools and daycares
 YMCA, YWCA preschool programs
 Community schools (kindergarten and 1st grade)
Potential sites for individual observation
 Preschools and daycares
 Home of family members or friends with young children
 YMCA, YWCA preschool programs
 Church programs
 Community schools (kindergarten and 1st grade)
Equipment
 Mats, balls, beanbags, balloons, etc.
Young child availability for on site class observation
 Young children of faculty or staff
 Young children of students
 Young children of friends
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Wash all toys, mats and other equipment that will make contact with
the young child
 Have all students wash their hands
 Assist parent(s) with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several young children at different
developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Parent-child interaction
 Child-other adult interaction
 Physical growth and maturation characteristics
 Cognitive development
 Affective development
Middle and Later Childhood
(6-10 years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 Community schools (kindergarten - 5th or 6th grade)
 Youth sport programs (school and community)
Potential sites for individual observation
 Community schools (kindergarten - 5th or 6th grade)
 Youth sport programs (school and community)
 Home of family members or friends with older children
 Church programs
Equipment
 Mats, balls, bats and rackets, beanbags, etc.
Older child availability for on site class observation
 Older children of faculty or staff
 Older children of students
 Older children of friends
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Assist parent(s) with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several older
children at different developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Specialized movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Parent-child interaction
 Child-other adult interaction
 Physical growth and maturation characteristics
 Cognitive development
 Affective development
Adolescence
(approximately 10-20 years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 Community schools (middle, junior high, high schools)
 Youth sport programs (school and community)
Potential sites for individual observation
 Community schools (middle, junior high, high schools)
 Youth sport programs (school and community)
 Home of family members or friends with adolescents
 Home of younger friends of students
Equipment
 Mats, balls, bats and rackets, etc.
Adolescent availability for on site class observation
 Adolescent children of faculty or staff
 Adolescent children of students
 Adolescent children of friends
 Adolescent friends of students
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Assist parent(s) and/or adolescents with parking instructions and, if
necessary, parking fee reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several adolescents at different
developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Specialized movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Parent-adolescent interaction
 Adolescent-other adult interaction
 Physical growth and maturation characteristics
 Cognitive development
 Affective development
Young Adulthood
(approximately 20-40 years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 College/university movement programs (scheduled physical education
classes, intramural programs, etc.)
 Community sport programs
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
Potential sites for individual observation
 College/university movement programs (scheduled physical education
classes, intramural programs, etc.)
 Community sport programs
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
 Family members or friends
Equipment
 Mats, balls, bats and rackets, etc.
Young adult availability for on site class observation
 Faculty or staff
 Students
 Friends of instructor
 Friends of students
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Assist adults with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several young adults at different
developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Specialized movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Physical growth and maturation characteristics
 Affective domain characteristics
Middle Adulthood
(approximately 40-65 years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 Community sport programs
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
Potential sites for individual observation
 Community sport programs
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
 Family members or friends
Equipment
 Mats, balls, bats and rackets, etc.
Middle-aged adult availability for on site class observation
 Faculty or staff
 Students
 Friends of instructor
 Friends of students
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Assist adults with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several middle-aged adults at
different developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Specialized movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Physical characteristics
 Affective domain characteristics
Older Adulthood
(approximately 65+ years)
Potential sites for class observation
 Gymnasium
 Senior citizen centers
 Nursing care facilities
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
 Mall walking programs
Potential sites for individual observation
 Senior citizen centers
 Nursing care facilities
 Fitness centers, YMCA, YWCA
 Family members or friends
 Mall walking programs
Equipment
 Mats, balls, bats and rackets, etc.
Older adult availability for on site class observation
 Faculty or staff
 Emeriti faculty
 Friends of instructor
 Friends of students
Special considerations
 Obtain permission from all off-site observation locations
 Assist adults with parking instructions and, if necessary, parking fee
reimbursement
 If possible have students observe several older adults at different
developmental levels
Observation objectives
 Fundamental movement skills
 Specialized movement skills
 Health-related fitness characteristics
 Performance-related fitness characteristics
 Functional daily living skills
 Physical characteristics
 Affective domain characteristics
Projects associated with observations:
Project 1.
Have students select 1-3 movement tasks. These tasks should be easy to administer
and require a minimal amount of equipment. Examples include a standing long jump,
throw for distance, 20 meter run, etc. Ask a male and female from each developmental
age period observed to complete the selected task or tasks (infancy would generally be
excluded from comparison). Students can graph the data with "performance scores" on
the y-axis and "age in years" on the x-axis. Students can include a written description
of the plotted curve and discuss why the curve follows the path that it does. As this
discussion is product-oriented in nature, a second discussion can focus on the process
the participants demonstrated when completing their movement tasks. If whole class
can not observe the performance of all developmental age groups, assign a specific
developmental age group to groups of students. Each group would provide their data
for the rest of the class.
Project 2.
When observing adolescents, have the students describe the variations in height, body
types, and secondary sex characteristics. Have the students compare the degree of
variations in the adolescent population with the degree of variations in childhood and
young adult populations.
Project 3.
Prior to an infant observation, have the students develop an infant observation
assessment instrument. Instrument items may include reflexes exhibited, rudimentary
movements exhibited, birth weight and length, and Apgar score. Have the students use
their instrument during the infant observation.
Project 4.
Have students observe a young infant at the beginning of the semester providing them
with key variables to observe. Have students observe the same infant toward the end
of the semester with the same key variables. Have them discuss the changes observed
over a given period of time.
Additional Projects:
Project 1.
Have students interview an older adult regarding his or her past and present health
status and involvement in physical activity. Have students ask questions that attempt to
address the underlying causes of the older adult's current health and physical activity
status, namely life span lifestyle, opportunities or lack thereof, disease, and ageing
factors.
Project 2.
Have students visit a drugstore and identify over-the-counter drugs that can impair the
motor performance of older adults.
Project 3.
Have student visit a drugstore and identify over-the-counter drugs that may have a
detrimental effect on the developing fetus and should be avoided during pregnancy.
Project 4.
In the gymnasium, group students in pairs. Have one of the partners demonstrate a
particular fundamental locomotor, manipulative, or stability skill at either the initial,
elementary, or mature level. Have the second partner identify the level at which the
skill is performed and which characteristics demonstrated that define that skill level.
Project 5.
Have students select a fundamental locomotor, manipulative, or stability skill. Have the
students develop a list of environmental and task factors that could influence how that
skill would be performed.
Project 6.
Have students attempt to identify potential underlying causes of secular trends or
possible secular trends through the last few centuries. Have students speculate as to
what current events may have the potential to establish a secular trend.