Fundamental Movement Skills

As a parent or caregiver, you want to ensure that your child develops essential movement skills in their early years. These skills not only promote physical health but also lay the foundation for future sports and activities.

With so many options and information available, it can be overwhelming. So, where do you start? Let us guide you through the basics of teaching fundamental movement skills for children.

Key Takeaways:

• Physical literacy is essential for young children to develop fundamental movement skills and lead a physically active lifestyle.
• Fun activities, positive reinforcement, and breaking down skills into simple steps can help children develop basic movement skills and improve their physical literacy.
• Limited access to equipment and space, fear of failure, and lack of physical activity can hinder children’s development of fundamental movement skills and physical literacy.

Physical Development

• Balance: Encourage activities like walking on a line, standing on one leg, and tiptoeing to improve balance and coordination in young children.
• Locomotor skills: Practice activities such as running, hopping, and jumping to develop physical literacy and coordination in young children.
• Object control skills: Engage in throwing, catching, and kicking games to cultivate motor skills and hand-eye coordination in young children.

Integrating these activities into the daily routine can foster physical literacy and keep young children physically active, supporting their overall development.

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development in children is crucial for physical literacy and overall growth. The school environment plays a vital role in building blocks fostering cognitive skills through activities that engage the mind and body.

Encouraging active children to participate in games, puzzles, and movement-based learning enhances their cognitive abilities, preparing them for future academic and physical challenges.

Pro-tip: Incorporate interactive games and exercises in daily routines to stimulate cognitive development while promoting active children.

Social and Emotional Development

Social and emotional development is essential for children, in addition to physical education and literacy. Participating in group activities promotes teamwork, empathy, and communication skills.

Encouraging active children to engage in team sports or creative group tasks strengthens their emotional resilience and social competence.

Promoting diverse social interactions is crucial for children to develop a strong foundation for lifelong emotional well-being. Suggestions include:

• Encourage playdates, team sports, and group projects to enhance social and emotional skills.
• Model positive behaviour and communication, nurturing empathy and social intelligence in children.

Locomotor Skills

• Walking: Encourage children to practice basic movement skills by walking with straight posture and alternating arm swings.
• Running: Teach kids to run with coordinated arm and leg movements, emphasizing a forward-leaning posture for improved movement.
• Hopping: Guide children in learning to hop on one foot and then the other, promoting balance and coordination while developing basic movement skills.
• Jumping: Help kids practice jumping over obstacles or for distance, building strength and agility as they master basic movement skills.

Manipulative Skills

• Throwing: Teach children the basic movement skill of standing sideways, stepping with the opposite foot, and using a forward arm motion to throw.
• Catching: Start with a larger, softer ball and emphasize the importance of keeping their eyes on the ball and using both hands to catch.
• Kicking: Demonstrate the proper technique of standing next to the ball, leaning over, and using the shoelaces to kick.

Pro-tip: Encourage consistent practice and praise efforts to help children develop a love for physical literacy and fundamental movement skills.

Stability Skills

• Balance: Enhance fundamental movement skills by practicing activities that promote balance, such as standing on one leg or walking on a balance beam.
• Coordination: Develop physical literacy with exercises that focus on hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, like catching and kicking a ball.
• Posture: Cultivate basic movement skills by engaging in activities that encourage good posture, like yoga or Pilates.

Encouraging stability skills in children is essential for building their basic movement skills, fostering physical literacy, and laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to a healthy, active lifestyle.

Use Fun Activities and Games

• Fun activities: Introduce games like tag, hopscotch, and relay races to develop kids’ physical literacy.
• Games: Incorporate activities such as Simon says, obstacle courses, and dance parties to make learning fundamental movement skills enjoyable.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

• Encourage efforts: Praise children when they demonstrate basic movement skills, promoting positive reinforcement.
• Set achievable goals: Break down physical literacy tasks into manageable steps to support their development.
• Provide constructive feedback: Point out improvements in their performance to boost confidence and motivation.

Break Down Skills into Simple Steps

When teaching basic movement skills to children, it is important to break down each skill into simple steps in order to promote physical literacy.

Locomotor Skills:

• Walking – Begin by teaching proper heel-to-toe movement.
• Running – Start with slow running and gradually increase speed.
• Jumping – Start with two-foot jumps and progress to one-foot jumps.

Object Control Skills:

• Catching – Begin with larger, softer objects and then move on to smaller balls.
• Throwing – Focus on proper arm action and follow-through.
• Kicking – Start with stationary ball kicks and then progress to moving targets.

Encourage Practice and Repetition

• Encourage regular practice of basic movement skills like running, jumping, and throwing.
• Provide a safe and conducive environment for children to repeat these skills frequently.
• Ensure that children participate in activities that promote physical literacy and fundamental movement skills.

Repetition is essential in mastering fundamental movement skills and promoting physical literacy.

Lack of Physical Activity

The lack of physical activity among children is a growing concern, impacting their physical literacy and overall health. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, sports, and outdoor activities is crucial to addressing this issue and promoting physical literacy.

Limited Access to Equipment and Space

When addressing limited access to equipment and space for physical literacy, it is important to focus on adaptable activities that require minimal equipment and space, while also maximizing the use of available resources.

These activities should incorporate fundamental movement skills and recreational activities such as running, jumping, and throwing, which can be done with limited equipment and space. This will encourage the development of physical literacy despite any limitations.

Fear of Failure

Children’s fear of failure can hinder the development of basic movement skills, impacting their physical literacy. Encouraging a supportive environment where mistakes are seen as part of learning can help build resilience and confidence.

Practicing basic movement skills in a non-judgmental setting can alleviate the fear of failure and promote a positive attitude towards physical activities.

Encourage Active Play and Physical Activity

• Encourage active play: Promote activities like tag, hide and seek, or hopscotch to keep children engaged in physical movement.
• Physical activity: Introduce structured activities such as swimming, dancing, or soccer to develop motor skills.
• Physical literacy: Foster fundamental movement skills like jumping, running, and throwing to enhance overall physical competence.

Provide Opportunities for Skill Development

• Create opportunities for enhancing physical literacy by organising regular play sessions in various environments.
• Encourage diverse physical activities to further develop physical literacy and fundamental movement skills.
• Provide age-appropriate equipment and games to stimulate skill development and improve physical literacy.
• Offer a supportive and inclusive atmosphere to foster skill development and promote physical literacy in children of all abilities.

Be Positive and Supportive

Encouraging a positive and supportive environment is essential in developing physical literacy in children. By giving constructive feedback and celebrating their progress, children are encouraged to enhance their fundamental movement skills. Moreover, creating a supportive atmosphere where children can freely explore new activities is crucial for their overall development.

Encouraging positive reinforcement and support from parents, teachers, and peers can greatly increase a child’s confidence and enthusiasm for physical activities.

FAQs

What are Fundamental Movement Skills?

Fundamental Movement Skills are the simplest moves that we can make and then built up into more complex ones. They are key to ensuring a lifelong involvement in physical activity and sport and can be divided into three categories: locomotion, stabilisation, and manipulation.

Why are Fundamental Movement Skills Important?

Fundamental Movement Skills are important because they form the basis of our physical literacy and help us to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle into adulthood.

They also serve as a foundation for learning more complex skills later on.

How do Fundamental Movement Skills Relate to Physical Wellbeing?

Physical literacy is based on Fundamental Movement Skills, so the development of Fundamental Movement Skills is crucial for our overall physical wellbeing. These skills help us to move, balance, and manipulate objects effectively, reducing the risk of injury and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.

How can Mastering Fundamental Movement Skills give Children a Head Start?

By our early childhood educators teaching children fundamental movement skills effectively, we are giving them a head start in their physical development.

Biologically, we all develop basic movement skills, but by teaching them early on, we are setting them up for success and making it easier for them to learn more complex skills in the future.

What Life Outcomes are Linked to Physical Activity in Children?

Research has shown that physically active children are more likely to have better life outcomes. This includes achieving higher exam results, having higher self-esteem, and being healthier, less medically dependent adults.

How can Schools Support Physical Literacy and Fundamental Movement Skills?

Schools can support physical literacy by providing a well-rounded outdoor play environment that encourages and nurtures fundamental movement skills.

This can include having a variety of equipment for climbing, balancing, and manipulating objects, as well as creating designated areas for running and imaginative play.