Bright
Futures in Practice: Physical Activity |
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
Healthy
Lifestyles
Early childhood
is a key time for promoting the development of motor skills
and physical activity behaviors. Most children are active
but may not have the opportunity to play and explore because
of space or safety concerns, or because their parents do
not encourage them to be physically active.
Children
in early childhood should be encouraged to participate
in physical
activity. Simple games such as "Simon Says," chase, and tag
are appropriate. Physical activities (e.g., tumbling, gymnastics,
dancing) tailored to the developmental needs of children
are also appropriate. Because most children need to develop
motor skills, they are not ready for organized sports, which
require visual acuity, control, and balance.
Building
Partnerships
Partnerships among
health professionals, families, and communities are essential
for ensuring that families receive guidance on physical activity.
Health professionals need to give parents the opportunity
to discuss physical activity issues and concerns affecting
their children, and need to identify and contact community
resources to help parents promote physical activity in their
children. The community can
help promote physical activity by providing programs that
-
Encourage
families to promote physical activity in children.
-
Teach
families about physical and motor skill development during
early childhood.
-
Give
children the opportunity to be physically active.
In
addition, communities can provide (1) affordable, skilled
child care providers who promote physical activity in children,
(2) safe environments for physical activity, and (3) support
for families of children with special health care needs.
Many children spend
time with child care providers or participate in Head Start
or other preschool programs that provide opportunities for
physical activity. Children in community programs can be
introduced to new activities and may try them more readily
if their peers seem to be enjoying them.
In addition, communities can provide (1) affordable, skilled child
care providers who promote physical activity in infants, (2) safe
environments for indoor and outdoor physical activity, and (3)
support for families of infants with special health care needs.
Strengths,
and Issues and Concerns
During health supervision
visits, health professionals should emphasize the physical
activity strengths of the child, family, and community (Table
5) and address any physical activity issues and concerns
(Table 6).
Table
5. Physical Activity Strengths During Early Childhood
Child
|
Family
|
Community
|
-
Participates
in physical activity
-
Enjoys
physical activity
-
Enjoys
playing with parents, siblings, grandparents, and
others
-
Enjoys
playing with objects and toys
-
In
addition to walking, often runs, gallops, jumps,
and skips
-
Enjoys
throwing, catching, hitting, and kicking a ball
-
Enjoys
climbing and balancing activities
|
-
Encourages
the child to participate in physical activity
-
Provides
opportunities for the child to participate in physical
activity
-
Supervises
the child during physical activity
-
Ensures
that the child uses appropriate safety equipment
(e.g., helmet) during physical activity
-
Participates
in physical activity with the child
-
Provides
positive role model by participating in physical
activity
|
-
Promotes
physical activity
-
Provides
programs that teach families about physical and
motor skill development
-
Provides
opportunities for children to participate in physical
activity
-
Provides
affordable, skilled child care providers who promote
physical activity in children
-
Maintains
policies (e.g., preservation of green space) and
provides environmental support (e.g., well-maintained
sidewalks) that promote physical activity
-
Provides
safe environments for indoor and outdoor physical
activity (e.g., walking and biking paths, playgrounds,
parks, recreation centers)
-
Provides
support for families of children with special health
care needs
|
Table
6. Physical Activity Issues and Concerns During Early Childhood
Child
|
Family
|
Community
|
-
Has
health problems
-
Experiences
motor skill or developmental delays
-
Experiences
discomfort with physical activity
-
Is
afraid to try new physical activities
-
Is
more interested in sedentary behaviors (e.g., watching
television and videotapes, playing computer games)
-
Lacks
friends or siblings to be physically active with
|
-
Lacks
knowledge of physical and motor skill development
-
Does
not encourage the child to participate in physical
activity
-
Does
not advocate for physical education in programs
-
Does
not provide positive role model by participating
in physical activity
-
Does
not participate in physical activity with the child
-
Has
health problems that affect the amount of time
spent with the child
-
Has
a work schedule or other commitments that reduce
the amount of time spent with the child
-
Lacks
space or equipment for physical activity
|
-
Lacks
programs that promote physical activity in children
-
Lacks
affordable, skilled child care providers who promote
physical activity in children
-
Lacks
safe environments for indoor and outdoor physical
activity (e.g., walking and biking paths, playgrounds,
parks, recreation centers)
-
Lacks
policies (e.g., preservation of green space) and
does not provide environmental support (e.g., well-maintained
sidewalks) that promote physical activity
-
Does
not provide support for families of children with
special health care needs
|
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