Physical Activity

Posted by Becky Elson, Region 2 Child Care Consultant in CCR&R Blog on 10/15/2015

The American Heart Association recommends 60 minutes of active play a day. Also, child care centers and homes in Iowa are required to have a mix of active and quiet play each day. Child care providers must also have large and small motor activities each day. How can we encourage children to get enough physical activity? Start by reducing time spent sitting. This means limiting time children spend watching television, playing video games or computer games.

Which of these activities could you add to your daily schedule to get to 60 minutes a day?

Brisk walking
Running games like soccer or duck, duck, goose
Tumbling or strength building play, like monkey bars and climbing the ladder of a slide
Jumping rope and running

One key is starting early. Active play helps increase skills in all areas of learning. Motor delays can be reduced as children become more active and develop muscle control. Children also have an easier time controlling emotions when they get enough physical activity.

Basic motor skills are learned and practiced. Children learn to crawl, walk, and throw through practice and repeating. Adding more movement in the early years helps children learn coordination skills. Control of the larger muscles will help them with the fine motor skills needed for reading and writing. Fine motor control is also needed to focus on written words so children can work on reading skills. The large muscle control of throwing a ball is related to being able to write with a pencil.

Providing a variety of active play opportunities at different skill levels allows children to get involved. Providing balls of different sizes for children to catch, throw or kick will help with the skill level differences in a group of children. Group games can boost active play as well as skills like turn-taking and self-control. Children also learn how to lead as they play games with other children.

Music and movement also encourage participation and reinforces large motor activities that can be fun and help build coordination skills. Music can provide a way for children to enjoy active movement and physical activity for a lifetime.