What is Physical Literacy?
Physical literacy is just as important for childhood development as learning letters, numbers, and sounds. It’s the ability to move the body easily, efficiently, and confidently in many ways throughout life. It is important for all young bodies and minds! It helps:
- support the development of efficient and natural movement patterns
- increase cognitive function in academic settings
- supports the aging of the body right through adulthood
Let Your Imagination Run Wild
Think about the environments you have access to, as well as the equipment (or lack thereof), and get creative. Courses do not have to be complicated or specially designed to get kids moving, learning, and having fun!
Different Ages, Different Skills
Skills that a child will be able to accomplish will depend on their growth and physical development, as well as their eagerness to move. Children across age groups, and even within the same age group, will accomplish movement milestones at different times.
Try to challenge your child with new movements, but remember every new movement requires practice, as well as physical and emotional maturity.
Toddlers
For young kids, go for simplicity and safety for your course design. 2-3 year olds are starting to become confident moving independently and are gaining stability and coordination. Skills to include in a course might include:
- balancing
- walking on tiptoes
- judging the size of spaces (narrow, squishy, low to the ground)
- pushing and pulling their body weight
- hopping on two feet
- marching
- climbing
- underhand tosses
- stepping over
- running (not for speed)
Preschool and Early Kindergarten
Four and five year olds are starting to become more confident and coordinated. They are likely becoming clever when learning new, strange, or creative play type movements! Add skills like:
- kicking
- hopping on one foot
- generating power (think long jump from your track and field days)
- spatial awareness (how far is it from here to the cushion on the ground?)
- judging heights/drops
- easy catching
- galloping forwards and sideways
Kindergarten and Beyond
By five years of age and older, many children are very competent movers and love to experiment with speed and height! Add:
- running (for speed)
- leaping (like a split, reaching one leg first)
- skipping
- jumping off of small heights
- speed
Try This!
Here is an example of a backyard course for a 5 year old:
- 10 big bunny hops forward
- tip toe down a chalk line
- crawl under a chair
- leap between hoops, cushions, or circles
- toss a ball into a big bucket five times, frog jumps to retrieve the ball
- run on the spot as fast as you can
- balance on one foot for 10 seconds
- skip back to the start
How can you combine these skills with equipment in your environment? Look to furniture, playground equipment, or structures in nature for creative inspiration! Play safe, have fun, and move those bodies! Check out the article below for some fun course ideas.
Looking for more ideas?
#Active Play: Autumn Leaf Fun
Fall is almost upon us! As the air turns colder and the leaves drop, here are some fun activities to get little bodies moving.
Active Play: Nature Bingo & TNRD Kid-Friendly Trails
One of the most important ways to ensure physical literacy is to make sure you enjoy being active. What better way to help a child develop their love of movement than getting outdoors to explore!
Active Play: Dinosaur Salt Fossils
Make your own fossils at home with this easy activity. Children will develop their fine motor movements, without ever realizing!
Active Play: Let’s Have a Dance Party!
People young and old love to dance. But did you know it is also very beneficial for young children?
Active Play: Yoga for Kids
Yoga is a great way to get kids moving! Check out the benefits of yoga with this animal themed activity.
Active Play: Water Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers
There is no doubt that water play is fun. It is also super beneficial for motor and language development! Check out this fun idea for indoor or outdoor water play!