What is Physical Activity? Physical Activity (PA) can be defined as any movement of the body which requires the expenditure of energy. Activities can be moderate and not really cause us to huff and puff such as walking slowly, reaching, balancing, painting at an easel, bending, squatting and playing quietly with toys such as blocks, […]
When was the last time you saw a child climb high up into a tree, speed down a hill in a home-made hill trolley (go-Kart), walk over slippery rocks near the beach/river/lake or wander alone in the bush? Chances are that these were all activities that you experienced as a child – but sadly children […]
When we think about the Health Guidelines for young children, we know that they should be physically active for 3 hours every day – of which one hour should be vigorous activity which gets the child huffing and puffing. What comes to mind is aerobic activity such as running, climbing, cycling – but what is […]
Professor Leon Straker discusses the impact of electronic gaming on the health of young children.
Learning the fundamental motor skill of kicking begins in the early years but does not usually mature until the age of 6-7 years. Kicking skills will continue to be refined over the years with practice and coaching. The enjoyment toddlers experience with learning to kick a colourful, bouncy ball is evident with the smiles on […]
The Hop is a Fundamental Movement Skill Before learning to hop on one leg, young children will need to have developed some degree of dynamic balance and have the ability to jump with both feet clearing the ground. Hopping is a more advanced skill and usually develops between the ages of 5 and 7. How […]
