| know little bodies need exercise too? Although it | | | | or That was a good kick. |
| seems unlikely that your child ever really sits still, a | | | | Use age-appropriate toys and equipment, and always |
| recent statistic from the Centers for Disease Control | | | | practice safety around your young learner. If you |
| and Prevention said that about 14% of children | | | | enroll your child in a formal class, first ensure that it is |
| between the ages of 2 to 5 years old were | | | | age appropriate according to your child’s |
| overweight due to being too sedentary. | | | | developmental level. Team activities should not be |
| That’s more than double the 5% of children | | | | introduced until your child has grasped the concept |
| overweight in the 1970’s. Just like with older | | | | and has patience to wait for his turn. |
| children, your little one needs encouragement to get | | | | Physical Activities to Try: |
| out and play! | | | | Here are a few physical education activities to add to |
| The National Association for Sport and Physical | | | | your early childhood lesson plans: |
| Education suggests the following fitness guidelines for | | | | Tag or chase: add variety by hopping, dancing, |
| young children. Your preschool child aged 3 to 5 years | | | | jumping, or waddling. |
| old should spend at least 60 minutes a day on | | | | Catch or kickball: try many different sizes and |
| structured physical activities; at least 60 minutes a | | | | textures. |
| day on unstructured physical activities; and no more | | | | Riding a scooter or tricycle |
| than 60 minutes engaged in a sedentary activities | | | | Obstacle course: make a course out of chairs, |
| (unless she is sleeping). | | | | cushions, tables, hoops, and so on. |
| How to Add Physical Activity: | | | | Swimming or water play such as sprinklers, hoses, or |
| Adding structured physical activities helps small | | | | wadding pools |
| children develop motor skills, important for every day | | | | Building a cardboard house or crawling through a |
| living. Develop your child’s movements by | | | | cardboard tunnel |
| teaching him how to run, throw, catch, kick, and so | | | | Dancing and singing: add fun feathers, ribbons, or |
| forth. Just think, you would never give him a book | | | | cloth to make it interesting. |
| and expect him to learn how to read. Don’t | | | | Adding physical education to your early childhood |
| expect your child to go out and play and figure these | | | | lesson plans doesn’t have to be hard! With a |
| motor skills on his own. Teach him how to perform | | | | little creativity and imagination, you can make physical |
| each action, give positive feedback, and give them | | | | activity seem like playing to your child. Help your child |
| many opportunities to practice. You are your | | | | grow up healthy and happy! Enrich his life with joyful |
| child’s best role model, so spend time playing | | | | learning experiences that you can easily turn into P.E. |
| with him everyday. Encourage your little one with | | | | time. |
| simple phrases like You caught that really well! | | | | |