This article originally appeared in the May/June 1998 issue of Early Childhood News. Physical Fitness in Early Childhood: What’s Developmentally
Appropriate? No pain, no gain. Target heart rate. Pumping up. These are all expressions we relate to fitness for adults. But do the same terms apply to young children? Why should physical fitness be a concern during the early childhood years? Don’t young children get all the activity they need naturally by being children? Certainly, they are active enough to be physically fit! Unfortunately, the statistics suggest otherwise. On average, children ages two to five spend about 25 1/2 hours a week watching television (during a year, this is as much time as children spend in school), and this number doesn't include time spent playing video games or working with computers. Some studies show up to 50 percent of American children are not getting enough exercise (Taras, 1992). Research also indicates that
In the past, heart disease risk factors were rarely seen in anyone under the age of 30. Of equal significance are the facts that obese children tend to become obese adults, and that children with high blood pressure are likely to become adults with high blood pressure. All of this indicates that "just being a kid" is not what it used to be and is no longer enough to keep individuals healthy. ************************************************************************ Developmentally Appropriate Aerobic Activities Physical activity, like everything else in children's lives, should be appropriate for their level of development. Calisthenics and structured exercise regimens are not developmentally appropriate for young children and are not likely to contribute to a lifelong desire to keep moving. The following are examples of activities promoting both fitness and fun for young children. Marching. An energetic march around the room is a great fitness activity. You can provide an accompanying drumbeat or play a recording of a march. Challenge the children to swing their arms and raise their knees while keeping the rest of their bodies straight and tall. The Track Meet. Running is a great aerobic exercise, and a lively piece of music in a steady 4/4 meter can help motivate the children. With school-age children, you can challenge them to race across the country and plot their daily progress on a U.S. map, thereby integrating physical fitness with geography and math lessons. Once around the room might, for instance, equal a mile on the map. With preschoolers, you could use a puzzle map instead. Every day that they run around the gym or playground or for the length of a favorite recording, another state is placed on the puzzle to show their progress. Rabbits and 'Roos. Children love to pretend to be animals. Ask them to jump like rabbits and kangaroos, alternating from one to the other. Which is the larger of the two animals? Which would jump more heavily? Giddy-Up. If there are children in your group who can't yet gallop, challenge the class to move like horses. Those children who can gallop will likely do so, and those who can't will simply pretend to be horses so that they can still meet your challenge and experience success. In essence, any locomotor skill can be an aerobic activity if it is performed continuously. Begin slowly and gradually increase the length of the activities. Encourage the children to push themselves a bit further each time. ************************************************************************ The Good News Since scare tactics are not always the best means of motivation, here's the good news regarding physical fitness:
Many health problems are preventable. With an estimated 250,000 deaths a year in the United States caused by low levels of activity and fitness, the solution appears to be as simple as getting up and moving! Although there is currently little research suggesting that childhood physical activity affects childhood health, it is believed that individuals who are physically active as children are likely to remain physically active as adults. Therefore, physical activity in childhood may indeed have an effect on adult health. The key to physical activity in early childhood is enjoyment. For adults, success might be defined in terms of an extra lap run around the track, an extra ten pounds lifted, or getting through an extra 15 minutes of aerobics. For a preschooler, success in any activity is simply a matter of how much fun it is! ************************************************************************ Developmentally Appropriate Materials The most important, and only absolutely necessary, prop in a movement program is the human body. Using additional props and equipment, however, can offer many movement possibilities the children might not otherwise encounter, and certainly merits consideration. For aerobic activity, streamers and parachutes are highly recommended. They, along with balls, beanbags, and hoops, can be purchased from the following physical education supply catalogs.
************************************************************************ What Early Childhood Professionals Can Do Pangrazi and Corbin (1993) report that most children are involved in low-intensity, high-volume (long duration) activity each day and "this naturally occurring activity is consistent with the developmental levels of children" (p. 17). Therefore, teachers and caregivers need not be concerned with the type or intensity of the activity, as long as regular activity remains a part of the child 's life. The Physical Best program (1989), developed by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, defines physical fitness as "a physical state of well-being that allows people to 1) perform daily activities with vigor, 2) reduce their risk of health problems relative to lack of exercise, and 3) establish a fitness base for participation in a variety of physical activities." If this definition of physical fitness is to become a reality for the children of today, they must be taught that physical activity is just as important in life as good hygiene and a proper diet. Teachers and caregivers must encourage, praise, and validate physical activity at every opportunity and serve as role models to the children in their care. Because Americans now burn fewer calories in the course of their daily lives, physical activity must be planned into each day. Yes, the competition with television, video games, and computers is steep, but children will never be as motivated to be physically active as they are during the early years. The fact is, children love to move! So parents and early childhood professionals are not without weapons in their war against sedentary lifestyles. Rae Pica is a movement education consultant and the author of Experiences in Movement, published by Delmar (800-347-7707), and the seven-book Moving & Learning Series, published by Human Kinetics (800-747-4457). An adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she conducts movement workshops nationwide and has served as a consultant for Children's Television Workshop, the Head Start Bureau, and Children's World Learning Centers. References AAHPERD. (1989). Physical best program. Reston, VA: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Pangrazi, R.P., & Corbin, C.B. (1993). Physical fitness: Questions teachers ask. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 64(7), 14-19. Taras, H.L. (1992). Physical activity of young children in relation to physical and mental health. In C.M. Hendricks (Ed.) Young children on the grow: Health, activity, and education in the preschool setting (pp. 33-42). Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse. ************************************************************************ Fitness and Movement Resources Classroom Movement Kit New on the market is a product called Playtangle Jr. Created to enhance both motor skill and cognitive development and designed to get and keep kids moving, Playtangle Jr. is a colorful mat with numbers 1-6, all in a different color and inside a different shape. It is accompanied by an activity guide and a cassette of original music. Books Indoor Play: Exciting Games for Kids of All Ages This book contains ideas for individual and cooperative games as well as tips on classroom management. Included in the games are several that require very little equipment but encourage participation by every student. Outdoor Play: Sports and Games for Kids of All Ages The physical and social skills required for the activities and games in this book vary. In the general descriptions of each activity, level of difficulty (from simple to challenging) is listed so that the teacher can easily identify the most appropriate activities for his or her class. Preschoolers Moving and Learning A complete movement program featuring 200 movement activities and five audiocassettes of original music within 40 developmentally appropriate lessons. The lessons begin with the basics, build on one another, and offer preschoolers frequent opportunities to experience success. Audio/Visual Pre-K Hooray! This collection of great musical play activities is full of wonderful ways for young children to stretch their minds and bodies. Developmental concepts include telling time, learning the alphabet, body identification, shapes, taking turns, learning the days of the week, colors, and more. Aerobic Power for Kids On one audio recording you’ll find two energizing routines: a Power side and a Power Plus side. The Power program is exceptional for young children and introduces all children to aerobic routines. The Power Plus program is especially designed to motivate older children and give them a great workout. Rock ‘N’ Roll Fitness Fun Safe and simple exercises set to popular music of the ‘50s and ‘60s will appeal to today’s fitness-conscious generation. A unique feature of this recording is that the aerobic activities and the high-energy music are suitable for all ages. Fingerplays and Footplays Immediately involve your class in FUN activities that help develop coordination, concentration, and listening skills with this new video! All activities can be performed while standing, seated in a chair, or with legs crossed on the floor, so you can tailor the actions to your available space. Great fun! |