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What is
Gross Motor
Development?
• Enables children to utilize the large groups of muscles in their arms and legs .
• Gross motor skills include movement (running, dancing or jumping) and manipulation (throwing, catching and kicking .)

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• Can help preschoolers to move more easily and develop confidence in their physical abilities.
• Can prevent developmental delays.
• Helps to build strong muscles and bones to support a growing body.
• Promotes psychological health: a child’s confidence grows as their skill set improves.
• Promotes a healthy life style.

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1: Lack of Exercise and Good Nutrition
According to a study published last year, Federal health authorities reported a 43% drop in the obesity rate among 2- to 5-year-old children over the past decade , the first broad decline in epidemic. an
While this is good news…

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2: Preoccupation with Electronic Media
• 68% of children under two spend over 2 hours per day in front of a TV screen.
• Children under the age of six spend as much time in front of television, computers and video games as they do playing outside.

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• Many busy parents don’t make time for outdoor experiences.
• Some adults believe the outdoors are unsafe (dirty, germfilled) and keep children inside to keep them safe.
• Children can lose their innate affinity for nature
• They become fearful and suspicious of it!

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Many parents and teachers feel outdoor time takes away from “learning” time but
• Children are far more likely to foster a lifelong love of the learning process through play and exploration and not rote learning (flashcards, worksheets, computer software).
• The mind and the body are not separate entities and learning occurs best when the whole body can be involved.
Helping parents understand the crucial role of play is essential!

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Best Practice: Toddlers are Provided
With 60-90 Minutes of Active
Playtime Daily
Best Practice: Preschoolers are
Provided with 120 Minutes of Active
Playtime Daily
The American Heart Association recommends that all children over 2 participate in at least
60 minutes of enjoyable, moderate-intensity physical activities every day that are developmentally appropriate and varied

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Why Is Active Playtime Important?
• It helps children of all ages stay at a healthy weight and reduces their risk of obesity-related illnesses – type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• It has been shown to help relieve feelings of stress and depression and reduce behavior problems.
• It provides children with the opportunity to develop social skills
• It promotes cognitive development. Studies show children learn better after bursts of activity due to improved attention and focus.

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• Give infants frequent “tummy time”.
• Place toys within and just beyond their reach, encouraging the child to reach for the toys.
• Provide toys that support movement and action with legs, feet, arms and hands.
• Encourage toddlers to play on different types of equipment and fun things.

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• Use games and songs that promote movement and exercise. Can you name some?
• Encourage safe “risk-taking” such as climbing, jumping, rolling.
• Help them to demonstrate:
• Action words like stomp, pounce, and slither.
• Descriptive words like strong, gentle and enormous.

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Children can easily become bored with the playground because it contains the same equipment day in and day out.
Working with a group of fellow teachers, come up with three workable (and inexpensive) solutions that will re-energize the children —and YOU—and that you’ll be able to implement immediately!
Consider:
• Portable play equipment
• Incorporating themes
• Allow children to get creative with the outdoor play equipment

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• Adult-led physical activities have been shown to produce higher levels of physical activity in children than unstructured play?
• You can’t expect the children to be excited or interested in something if YOU’RE not!

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What Can We Do to Improve our Programs?
Company-Wide Expectations:
• Eliminate screen time unless it is Smartboard usage OR computer-lab time. Off-set all sedentary activities with active, physical ones!
• Every classroom should have access to portable equipment such as balls, push-pull toys, portable tunnels, hula hoops, bean bags, ribbons/scarves. This equipment should be accessible for the majority of the day —inside and out.
• Transitions should always be active, physical events instead of
“hands at your sides, walking feet.”

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• Staff will encourage children to be active and join in the fun! Teachers will be LEADERS of physical activity inside and out – and will not merely stand on the sidelines.
• Physical activity will be incorporated at least once a day within the program in 10 -20 minute time blocks, depending upon the age of the children.
• A portion of the monthly newsletter will be used to educate and assist parents in helping their children lead healthy lives.

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Think about your Outdoor Classroom. Make a list of supplies that are needed now so that your Director can plan accordingly. Make this a ‘do-able’ wish list, one that the entire school can benefit from and everyone can see progress over time.

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•
• Let’s Move! Child Care https://healthykidshealthyfuture.org
We Have the Moves! Physical Activity Resource
A creation of the U. S, Department of Health and Human Services and Sesame Workshop
• Fitness and the Young Child , James Poole, MD
• Lost Child in the Woods , Richard Louv
• KidsHealth.org
• NAP, SACC Program, UNC, Chapel Hill
•
•
•
American Pediatrics Association
“Risky Play Prepares Children for Life,” Adrian Voce, The
Guardian, August 5, 2008
“Learning by Leaps and Bounds: In Defense of Active
Learning,” Rae Pica, Beyond the Journal, November 2008. www.journal.naeyc.org/btj.