The material on this page is the intellectual property of SPARC www.sparc.org.nz and has been published on this website with permission from SPARC. SPARC is the Crown Entity responsible for sport and recreation in New Zealand. SPARC's vision for New Zealand is: to be the most active nation, to be winning consistently in events that matter to New Zealand and, to achieve this by having the most effective sport and recreation systems.

What is Active Movement? Active Movement is just as important for newborns as it is for older children. By helping your child to get active, you help their body to develop, you help them to learn and to feel safe, and you show them they are loved.

The following Active Movement brochures are available (click for download):

The Active Movement series of brochures helps you with ideas for fun activities.

When does Active Movement begin?
Active Movement begins when your baby is conceived. It is just as important for newborns as it is for older children. Active Movement develops:
* a life-long interest in being physically active
* an understanding of the body and how to move
* bones and muscles
* confidence and self-esteem
* memory
* the eyes
* a willingness to try challenging activities
* the ability to work with others
* speech and language
* the brain.

How are our lives changing?
* Babies and children today are, generally, less active than their parents and grandparents were.
* Babies and young children are being carried more(e.g. car seats, backpacks, highchairs, bouncers and supermarket trolleys).
* Technology is a big part of our lives.
* TV, video and computer games are taking more of our children's time.

How does Active Movement develop my child's brain?
* Your child's brain develops very fast in early childhood.
* The way the brain develops depends on your child's genes and the experiences they have.
* Moving helps the brain make connections between the different parts of the brain.

All children are different and learn to do things at different times. We need to provide a supportive environment for our children to grow and develop in their own time. What's important is the order that the skills develop rather than when they develop.

How can we encourage ourchildren to become more active?
Regular physical activity can become part of your child's everyday life. Here are just a few examples:
* walking to the park or shops, rather than going in the push chair or car
* going outside to play
* spending time lying and crawling on the floor
* walking along the cracks on the footpath
* collecting twigs or leaves
* walking along and balancing on walls.

TV, videos and the computer
These are very popular with many children. They can be exciting and interesting but they can encourage children to remain seated and quite still. Try to turn these off as much as possible and enjoy active experiences.

Moving to Learn
Many of the activities and ideas contained in the brochures have been taken from Moving to Learn by Robyn Crowe and Gill Connell. This publication contains many more interesting activities and information to help your child become more active. It is available from www.movingtolearn.com

What do I need to know before I start?
All activities are for boys and girls. It is the order in which they gain body skills that is important, not the age that they gain them. Remember, when children are being active, stay around them to keep them safe. More safety information can be found in the brochure Sun, Safety and Nutrition. Allow your child to explore their own feelings about different activities. If an activity seems too hard, try an easier one. Feelings of success are really important for children.

Where do I go for more information?
Other Active Movement brochures are:
* Active Movement: An Introduction
* Tummy Time, Rolling and Crawling
* Walking, Running and Jumping
* Balance: Swinging, Spinning and Rocking
* Upper Body Development: Climbing, Hanging and Swinging
* Catching, Throwing and Kicking
* Developing Hands and Fingers
* Developing Language through Active Movement
* Massage and Touch
* Using the Environment in Active Movement
* Eyes Need to Move Too!
* Developing Self-Esteem through Active Movement
* Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays
* Sun, Safety and Nutrition

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