Children in their preschool years are learning to master many things. Starting from infancy they are developing to learn new skills like making sounds, talking, crawling, walking, solving and using their bodies in different ways. Balancing, locomotor skills and manipulative skills are some of the developmental skills that they need to accomplish in order to have physical health. If physical activity is not the norm then overweight and obesity may be the result. I believe that “Individuals responsible for the well-being of preschoolers should be aware of the importance of physical activity and facilitate the child’s movement skills” (NASPE, 2006).
Movements in Physical Activity
Balancing:
At around the age of 3-5 balancing is a skill still needed to be mastered even though they have come a long way from crawling.
· “Children develop balance from infancy until that ability stabilizes around the age of 10 or 11 years” (Rupnow & Morain, 2000, p. 2).
· Balance is an experience that we do not realize that is learned. With experience we learn how to balance while doing other thing (Rupnow & Morain, 2000, p. 2).
· Rupnow & Morain let us know that “Balance helps children better perform certain motor skills and enjoy movement” (2000, p. 2).
· Balance task on stable objects, like walking on rope on the floor; or an unstable object, like walking with stilts made of coffee cans, will be able to help teach children how to balance (Rupnow & Morain, 2000, p. 2-3).
Motor Skills:
Motor skills development has been supported by research to “develop competency (Payne & Isaacs 2005)” (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p. 1).
· A locomotor skill such as jumping is movements that get the heart pumping.
o “The preschool program uses a series of 10 stations with different types of jumping activities. These large motor activities help develop muscular endurance, some muscular strength and, if the activity is intense and sustained over time, cardio-vascular endurance” (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p.4).
o An activity that can be fun is “Jumping Animals, which involves children to jump like animals like frogs or kangaroos (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p.3).
· Manipulative skills are motor skills that involve more refine movements like throwing, catch, and rolling a ball.
o A simple game of throwing a ball is beneficial to learn how to aim at a target. “Altering the distance from target (close to far) or the target type (large to small or stationary to moving)” (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p. 3) will make this game fun for all to enjoy.
Teachers can accommodate:
· Teachers in the preschool can create a center indoor (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p. 4).
o Children can pump their muscles by holding water bottles or bean bags and dancing activities (Goodway & Robinson, 2006, p. 4).
Physical activity and overweight
“Obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States - triple the rate from just one generation ago” (CDC, 2011, Para 1)
Things to be done:
· “Create and maintain safe neighborhoods for physical activity and improve access to parks and playgrounds” (CDC, 2011, Para 2).
· Teachers “Support quality daily physical education in schools and daily physical activity in child care facilities” (CDC, 2011, Para 2).
· Parents can help by following “ the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics and limit media time for kids to no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality programming per day whether at home, school or child care (CDC, 2011, Para 3).
Consequence for the present and future:
· In the present time:
o “Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem (CDC, 2011, Para 2).
· In the future the CDC (2011) says:
o Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults (Para 2)
References
CDC (2011). Overweight and Obesity: Strategies and Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/solutions.html
CDC (2011). Adolescent and School Health: Childhood obesity Facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm
Goodway, J.D. & Robinson, L. E. (2006). SKIPing toward an active start: Promoting physical activity in preschoolers. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/GoodwayBTJ.pdf
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2006, May). Active start: Physical activity guidelines for children birth to five years. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/NASPEGuidelinesBTJ.pdfRupnow, A. & Morain, V. (2000). Growing up fit: Preschool fitness activities. Iowa State University: University Extension. Retrieved from http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1359B.pdf
Children spend too much time sitting around inactive today. Many schools today are cutting back physical education for children. Classrooms are spending more time on academics and test preparation and less time on recess and gym classes. In a lot of schools, gym class has been reduced to just once or twice per week for only half an hour of physical activity.
ReplyDeleteWhen children get home from school, they are spending most of their time studying and doing homework instead of getting outside and playing.
When these children are not doing school work, they turn the TV on and play games for hours.
There are so many children who have both parnets working or only one parnet that they don't have time for a good health meal. A lot of the chilren today would rather play video games then go have fun outside. Playing outside is not only good for their physical part but the mental part.
ReplyDeleteI have to say my son would rather it health food like veggies and fruit than juke food. He can be outside on a nice day for morning until night. I have never stop him from doing this things and I don't tell him to he does it on his own. He is nine but has eat healthy all his life.
I love how you are able to describe and cause and effect of physical activity and lack of physical activity. The activities you shared were descriptive and helpful. They included citations and reasoning behind the activities and skills needed at an early age. The fact that 17% of children are obese is frightening, especially when you take into consideration all of the negative affects (social/emotional, cognitive, health) that can occur from obesity.
ReplyDeleteBeing physically active is so important for young children. I found the statistics you provided very informative. I also thought the suggestions you gave on how teachers could accommodate fitness in the lives of children were both relevant and helpful. Your thoughts on what needs to be done and future consequences were also insightful.
ReplyDeleteAdults need to take action to help the problem of obesity among children. We cannot merely tell children to get active. We need to lead by example and be role models for them.