I Move We Move - Good For Kids - NSW Government

3.1
Supporting physical activity in the context
of early childhood services
Through your unique interactions with children, early childhood staff have the opportunity to
guide choices towards establishing a physically active lifestyle supporting development, learning
and movement. Physical activity, like any other skill or ability fostered through early childhood
education, requires consideration of early childhood teaching principles and the individual
philosophy of your service. Other important considerations specific to supporting physical activity
and movement skills development in the early childhood setting are outlined in this section and
have also been integrated throughout both The Guide and The Physical Activity Handbooks.
The nature of young children’s physical activity
Young children’s physical activity patterns are characterised by short intense bursts of activity
intermixed with periods of rest or lower intensity activity. These short bursts need to be frequent
enough throughout the day to meet children’s physical activity requirements. The type of physical
activity should be based around having fun and predominantly play-based through exploration; adult
guided activities and unstructured play. Children aren’t developmentally ready for organised activities like
sports until they are six years old. Exceptions to this are developmentally appropriate organised
activities such as learn-to-swim, gym fun or kindy gym and dancing taught by qualified instructors 16 .
See Section One, Introduction (page 1.2) for the National Physical Activity
Recommendations for Children 0 to 5 years (NB these recommendations are draft
and subject to endorsement by the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference) 6 .
I Move We Move, The Guide Edition 1 August 2009
AREA HEALTH SERVICE