ACTIVE FUN AT HOME

Why is being active so important for children?
Getting your children active helps them develop intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually – as well as physically.

Physical activity helps children to be happy, healthy and confident. It also builds the foundations for learning and communicating.

In addition, physical activity encourages a life-long interest in being physically active.

Why aren't children getting as many opportunities these days to be active?
We use the car and pushchairs much more than we used to, we don't play outside as much and spend more time in front of the TV or computer. This means our children aren't getting enough opportunity to develop something called fundamental movement skills.

What are fundamental movement skills?
There are three categories of movement skills:
* Stability – moving or standing still with one body part attached to the ground or equipment. Skills like balancing, stretching, twisting, bending, turning and rolling.
* Manipulation – imparting or receiving force from an object – throwing, catching, batting, kicking and bouncing.
* Movement and body awareness – having knowledge of your own body parts and movement capabilities in combination with being able to respond to sensory information so a specific motor task is able to be performed.

How can you help children develop these skills?
These skills are developed through play – all those things we used to do in the backyard such as playing swing-ball, kicking balls around, jumping and climbing. All these activities help to develop fundamental movement skills.

Encouraging children to develop basic skills like catching, kicking, and throwing a ball is a great start. Simple things that we (as parents) used to do as kids – like wheelbarrow races, sack races also help.

Activities like climbing, hanging and swinging help children to develop upper body skills and strength.

Locomotor skills like running, skipping and hopping – anything to encourage movement and the development of these skills is great.

Why skills like catching, throwing, kicking and playing with balls important for children?
These activities help to develop hand-eye and foot-eye co-ordination (when our hands or feet work together with our eyes).

They are also great for balance and help with a sense of timing, (which incidentally helps when you’re crossing the road!), as well as activities like dancing.

Mastering these skills enables us to play sport later in life and gives children the confidence and feelings of success help them feel encouraged to continue.

What are some other activities I can do with my children that encourage skill development?
Arts and crafts can be a lot of active fun too. In fact, you'll be feeling pretty puffed after you and the kids spend an afternoon making and flying a kite.

You could try building and breaking a papier mache piñata, or designing and playing with a poi – the kids will love it.

Set up a home circuit, for example a mini gym circuit with activities to do at each station. Or take your children to a local climbing wall. The ideas are endless.

What could I use to make up a circuit or obstacle course for the children at home?
The idea is to use whatever you've got, for example chairs, buckets, sheets, pillows, balls and blankets.

Encourage children to use their imagination. For example, put a blanket down as water and put islands on it that you have to jump to and from. Children could also make tunnels, or use their bike to ride on between the activities.

Are all children able to do these sorts of activities?
You should match the activities with your child's skill level so that it's easier or harder depending on what skills they've mastered. Don't forget that children master skills at different rates.

You can make an obstacle course more of a challenge by timing older children and you should make it more difficult or easy depending on their level of skill.

Where can I get more information?
Download the SPARC activity guides or check www.sparc.org.nz for ideas and resources for getting children active.

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