Samenvatting MOTO.docx

# The importance of movement for preschoolers Movement and physical activity are fundamental for the holistic development of preschoolers, impacting their cognitive, psycho-social, sensory, and overall quality of life. ### 1.1 Motor development as a foundation Motor development is a continuous process of refining motor skills, progressing from gross motor abilities (running, jumping, balance) to fine motor skills (cutting, writing, tying shoelaces). This development forms the basis for all future movement skills and the ability to function effectively in society. #### 1.1.1 The link between motor development and overall development * **Sensory development:** The mouth plays a significant tactile role for infants and toddlers, leading them to explore objects through mouthing. * **Intellectual development:** Through physical actions like throwing balls, climbing, and jumping, children discover meanings, coherencies, connections, and relationships, leading to deeper understanding. * **Psycho-social development:** Being motorically capable fosters a positive self-image. Movement and play promote independence, daring, perseverance, and social skills such as respect and openness. #### 1.1.2 Well-being, health, and academic performance A healthy lifestyle encompasses physical, psychological, and social well-being, which are interconnected. Movement and play are crucial for a child's current and future health and well-being, contributing to: * **Growth:** Muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments develop through regular physical exertion. * **Concentration:** Increased blood flow to the brain enhances learning ability and concentration. * **Health:** Long-term positive impact on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. * **Self-esteem:** Feeling better about oneself. * **Stress reduction:** Physical activity is a significant stress reliever. #### 1.1.3 Societal connection and social integration The ability to participate in movement activities allows children to play and interact with others, fostering a sense of belonging and social connection. ### 1.2 Physical activity levels and recommendations for preschoolers * **Health norm:** The recommended health norm for preschoolers is 60 minutes of moderate to intensive physical activity daily. * **Research findings:** Studies indicate that a significant majority of preschoolers do not meet this daily recommendation. Children's movements are often varied and irregular, making precise measurement challenging. * **Causes of insufficient activity:** Societal factors, a shift in leisure activities towards sedentary pursuits (computers, television), unsafe environments (traffic, media concerns), limited indoor space at home, overprotection, and insufficient school provision contribute to reduced physical activity. * **Consequences of insufficient activity:** Increased incidence of chronic diseases (heart and vascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis), overweight and obesity (a predictor of adult obesity), and a higher likelihood of becoming inactive adults, potentially jeopardizing overall development. * **Recommendations:** Prioritize movement with sufficient intensity during physical education and other activities. Provide more structured movement sessions focusing on motor skill development, physical fitness, and a healthy lifestyle. Ensure adequate and stimulating play areas and gymnasiums to encourage natural movement behavior. ### 1.3 Movement education in preschool Movement education focuses on both motor and total development through rich and meaningful movement activities. #### 1.3.1 Rich movement activities These are engaging activities that offer developmental opportunities, including movement games, play with large materials, dance, and outdoor play. #### 1.3.2 Motor development through movement education Teachers stimulate motor development by teaching children to move better and using movement as a basis for further development. #### 1.3.3 Total development through movement education Movement education nurtures the whole child, encompassing cognitive, psycho-social, and sensomotoric development. Extensive and varied movement lays the groundwork for essential life skills. #### 1.3.4 Creating a powerful learning environment for movement A powerful learning environment engages preschoolers in sustainable development across various domains: * **Motor competencies** * **Healthy, fit, and safe lifestyle** * **Self-concept and social functioning** This environment can be facilitated by: * **Movement specialists:** Through dedicated movement education. * **Preschool teachers:** Integrating movement into daily routines, movement corners, and activities across different subjects (language, music, math). * **The school:** Providing inviting and challenging play spaces and opportunities for movement during playtime and sports events. #### 1.3.5 Developing a positive self-concept and social functioning A positive self-concept is built on positive experiences, environmental reactions, and successful self-expression through movement. Social functioning is shaped by how children perceive themselves and their movement capabilities. ### 1.4 Pedagogical and didactical principles for movement education Movement education addresses the child's entire personality, guided by four core principles: * **All developmental domains:** While focusing on motor development, movement education also integrates attention to other domains like cognitive (spatial awareness), social (following rules), and emotional aspects. * **Working within the zone of proximal development:** Teachers should understand children's current abilities and provide challenges that encourage them to improve existing skills and explore new ones. This fosters problem-solving skills in movement. * **Creating a powerful learning environment and utilizing natural curiosity:** A stimulating environment encourages children to discover, experiment with, and refine movements independently. * **Experiential learning:** Children learn best through direct experience, discovery, and active engagement. ### 1.5 Understanding motor skills and motor development * **Motor skills (Motoriek):** This refers to an individual's unique way of interacting with their environment, encompassing their motor functioning and movement behavior. It involves responding to the environment through perception, feeling, thinking, and moving, and adapting mentally or motorically. Each person's motor skills are influenced by their personal perspective and capabilities. * **Motor development:** This is the age-related change in motor skills and movement behavior. While children are born with basic movement structures, these develop through maturation and environmental interaction, progressing from reflexive movements to refined, goal-directed actions. #### 1.5.1 Movement education and motor competence Movement education aims to enhance motor competence, defined as the ability to move appropriately, adaptably, and expressively in specific situations. This competence is built upon a larger, often unseen foundation. Motor development is particularly rapid between the ages of 0 and 7 years, evident in the changing physical structures and movement behaviors of preschoolers. #### 1.5.2 Factors influencing motor development The process of motor development is shaped by: * Physiological growth and maturation of senses, muscles, and the nervous system. * Genetic predisposition. * Environmental factors. #### 1.5.3 Course and tempo of motor development Motor development follows a predictable sequence of stages, but the tempo varies individually based on innate abilities and environmental influences. #### 1.5.4 Stimulating motor development Teachers should: * Understand the capabilities of children within specific age groups. * Be aware of the typical progression of motor development to tailor movement stimuli accordingly. * Recognize the significance of motor development to provide meaningful movement experiences, such as teaching functional uses of skills like jumping over obstacles. ### 1.6 General progression of motor development Motor development begins in the prenatal phase and progresses rapidly through infancy and toddlerhood. * **Prenatal phase:** Development of basic motor structures. * **Infancy and toddlerhood (0-2 years):** Acquisition of essential life movement functions, including upright posture, balance, locomotion, and grasping. * **Preschool years:** This phase is crucial for further refinement of motor skills. #### 1.6.1 Aspects of motor development in preschoolers Motor development can be broken down into several interconnected aspects: * **Psychomotor development:** Consciously controlled movements influenced by the brain, including body and spatial perception, and temporal awareness. * **Gross-motor skill development:** The progression of fundamental movements like crawling, stepping, and running. * **Fine-motor skill development:** The refinement of eye-hand coordination for grasping and manipulating objects. * **Sensory development:** The ability to perceive, process, and respond to sensory stimuli from the environment and the body. ##### 1.6.1.1 Psychomotor skills These are essential for self-reliance in movement situations and include: * **Body perception (Lichaamsperceptie):** Understanding how one's body moves through proprioception (information about body position and movement). This includes: * **Discovering body space:** Developing a sense of body boundaries and the ability to feel and recognize body parts and their spatial relationships. * **Maintaining balance:** Keeping the body's center of gravity over its base of support. * **Perceiving body axes and positions:** Understanding vertical, sagittal, and lateral axes for controlled movement. * **Lateralization and preferred body side:** Developing functional dominance of one side of the body (e.g., right-handedness) and its relationship to spatial awareness and movement timing. * **Utilizing movement dynamics:** * **Slowing down movement (Afremmen):** The ability to decelerate or stop a movement, crucial for balance and coordination. * **Responding quickly:** The capacity to react promptly to sensory stimuli. This can be visual, auditory, or tactile, requiring varied movement responses such as stopping, starting, changing direction, or adopting a posture. * **Differentiated movement and timing:** The ability to coordinate different body parts harmoniously and in sequence or simultaneously. This involves: * **Differentiated movement:** Involving specific body parts with precision and minimal extraneous movement. * **Movement timing:** Coordinating part movements into a fluid whole, essential for skills like running and throwing. * **Managing body energy (Tonus):** This refers to the body's state of tension or energy. An balanced tonus leads to lively and alert movements. Tonus is influenced by stress and emotional state. Key aspects include: * **Dosing movement energy:** Controlling the intensity of movement. * **Appropriate breathing:** Adapting breathing to the intensity of movement. * **Relaxing:** Achieving a state of inner calm. * **Spatial perception (Ruimteperceptie):** Understanding concepts of place, direction, distance, and movement paths. This includes: * **Perceiving place:** Locating oneself or objects in space. * **Perceiving direction:** Moving purposefully towards a point or directing an object. * **Perceiving distance:** Estimating and bridging the space between points. * **Perceiving movement paths:** Anticipating and adjusting to the trajectory of moving objects or people. * **Temporal perception (Tijdsperceptie):** Coordinating movements with time, including: * **Duration:** Understanding the time an action takes, often translated into spatial distances or visual cues. * **Tempo:** Adjusting movement speed (slow, fast, moderate) in response to verbal or auditory cues. * **Movement sequences:** Performing movements in a specific order, visually or auditorily presented. * **Rhythm and meter:** Moving in time with a consistent beat or patterned sequence of long and short elements, often associated with music. ##### 1.6.1.2 Gross-motor skill development These are fundamental movements crucial for survival and play: * **Locomotor skills:** Moving the body from one point to another (e.g., walking, running, jumping). * **Stability skills:** Maintaining balance, both statically and dynamically (e.g., rolling, swinging, hanging). * **Manipulative skills:** Controlling objects with hands, feet, or implements (e.g., throwing, catching, kicking). Key gross-motor skills include: * **Walking/Running:** Differentiated by the presence of a double support phase (walking) versus a flight phase (running). * **Balancing:** Maintaining equilibrium through continuous muscle adjustments, relying on visual, tactile, and vestibular systems. * **Creeping, crawling, climbing, and scrambling:** Various forms of horizontal and vertical locomotion using hands and feet. * **Hanging, swinging, and swaying:** Actions involving suspension and pendular movements. * **Rotating:** Turning the body around its axes. * **Jumping:** Characterized by a push-off, flight phase, and landing. * **Throwing and catching:** Projecting an object with an impulse and intercepting a moving object. * **Kicking:** Striking an object with the foot. * **Lifting and carrying:** Vertical displacement of an object and holding it. * **Pulling and pushing:** Moving an object towards or away from the body. ##### 1.6.1.3 Fine-motor skill development This involves the intricate coordination of hands and fingers, particularly eye-hand coordination. * **Early preschool years (2.5-3 years):** Movements are more global, originating from the shoulder, with the whole arm involved. Fine motor control is developing, but manipulation often involves extraneous movements. * **Around 4 years:** Improved eye-hand coordination allows for better direction of movements and more skillful manipulation of objects (e.g., buttoning, holding writing tools correctly, coloring within lines). Preferred side dominance begins to emerge. * **Around 5 years:** Fine-motor skills require precise hand and finger movements (cutting, tearing, coloring). A clear preference for one hand is evident in single-handed tasks. Eye-hand coordination improves for skills like throwing and catching, but full movement control is still developing. ### 1.7 Movement education practices in preschool Movement education employs various work methods to integrate physical activity: #### 1.7.1 Movement in the classroom * **Movement breaks/fillers:** Short, focused moments of intense movement to provide a break, facilitate transitions, and meet children's movement needs. * **Movement corners:** Designated play zones within the classroom offering a varied and engaging selection of materials to foster independent exploration and skill development. * **Movement activities:** Planned activities integrated into the classroom routine. #### 1.7.2 Movement education in the gymnasium/outdoors * **Movement games:** Played in larger spaces, offering more opportunities for movement and exploration. * **Tag games:** Simple to organize, requiring minimal material, and highly beneficial for physical exertion and developing spatial and social skills. #### 1.7.3 The role of play in movement education Play is the primary medium for learning and development in preschool. * **Free movement play:** Children explore and experiment with movement and materials at their own pace. * **Movement games with rules:** Structured play activities that encourage self-activity and independence through clear, simple instructions. These can be open-ended, semi-open, or closed, depending on the level of child autonomy. * **Guided play:** Play with a specific idea or goal, incorporating rules and structure. #### 1.7.4 Integrating movement into the classroom * **Movement as a prerequisite:** Essential for skills like writing, drawing, and functional grasping. * **Movement as experience:** Facilitates understanding of concepts like measurement, weight, and spatial estimations. * **Brain stimulation:** Movement increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and memory. * **Connecting brain hemispheres:** Movement activates both the motor (right hemisphere) and cognitive (left hemisphere) areas. #### 1.7.5 Movement corners in the classroom These zones are designed to maximize learning potential through a wide range of materials, catering to individual interests, skill levels, and specific needs. Their setup can be inspired by themes, motor skills goals, or children's play ideas. #### 1.7.6 Movement moments/fillers in the classroom These are short, often class-wide activities used to break up sedentary periods, facilitate transitions, and bring children together. They should be purposeful, varied in terms of materials, support, form, collaboration, tempo, and movement size, and adapted to the available space and number of children. #### 1.7.7 Guided movement activities in the classroom These activities are crucial for targeted skill development, even when space is limited. They emphasize simple games with clear rules and limited explanation, focusing on movements that can be performed in a confined area. #### 1.7.8 Movement education in the gymnasium or outdoors Larger spaces allow for more complex setups, a wider variety of materials, and more extensive movement possibilities. Games can be longer and more intricate, incorporating various formations and progressions that challenge children's spatial awareness. ##### 1.7.8.1 Tag games Tag games are popular due to their simplicity, adaptability, and the intense physical activity they provide. They foster spatial insight, game strategy, and social-emotional skills. Different variations exist based on the number of taggers, the presence of safe spaces or obstacles, and the overall game structure, catering to different age groups and developmental levels. ##### 1.7.8.2 Stimulating movement with small materials Small materials can be used creatively to encourage a wide range of movements and develop specific skills. The key is to choose materials that align with children's interests and encourage exploration, and to combine them in various ways to offer diverse movement challenges. * **Types of material:** This includes both fixed and hand-held materials, as well as free materials like cardboard boxes and plastic bottles. * **Combinations:** Materials can be combined with other materials, with the space, or with other people to create dynamic and engaging activities. #### 1.7.9 Age-specific considerations for movement activities * **Younger preschoolers:** Focus on individual or teacher-led movements, simple bilateral or unilateral actions, and single movements without complex combinations. Activities are primarily demonstrated by the teacher. Spatial arrangements should be simple and clear. * **Older preschoolers:** Can engage in individual, partner, or group movements, with increasing awareness of side dominance and spatial concepts. Movements can be more complex, involving combinations and a greater demand on concentration and memory. Children can take initiative, offer suggestions, and demonstrate activities. Spatial arrangements can become more complex, involving pairs and more varied movements. --- # Physical activity levels and recommendations for Flemish preschoolers This section examines the physical activity levels of Flemish preschoolers, highlighting a significant gap between current activity and recommended guidelines, and explores contributing factors and potential solutions. ### 2.1 The importance of movement for preschoolers Movement is fundamental to a child's overall development, impacting their physical, cognitive, psycho-social, and sensory growth. #### 2.1.1 Motor development Motor development is the continuous process of improving a child's motor skills, ranging from gross motor skills like running and balancing to fine motor skills such as cutting and writing. This development forms the foundation for all subsequent movement skills and the ability to function effectively in society. #### 2.1.2 General development and quality of life Motor development is interconnected with: * **Sensory development:** The mouth, with its significant tactile function, leads children to explore objects visually and then orally. * **Intellectual development:** Through actions like throwing balls, climbing, and jumping, children discover meanings, coherences, relationships, and connections, leading to understanding. * **Psycho-social development:** Being motorically skilled fosters a positive self-image. Movement games promote independence, courage, perseverance, and social skills like respect and openness. #### 2.1.3 Well-being, health, and academic performance Developing a healthy lifestyle encompasses physical, psychological, and social well-being, which are closely linked. Movement and play are crucial for a child's current and future health and well-being, contributing to: * **Condition and fitness:** Regular physical activity strengthens muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. * **Concentration:** Increased blood flow to the brain enhances learning ability and focus. * **Long-term health:** Positive effects on preventing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. * **Self-esteem:** A feeling of well-being and confidence. * **Stress reduction:** Physical activity acts as a stress-relieving factor. #### 2.1.4 Societal bonding and social integration Participating in physical activities allows children to play and move with others, fostering a sense of belonging and social connection. ### 2.2 Are Flemish preschoolers sufficiently active? #### 2.2.1 Current situation The health norm for physical activity is 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. While preschoolers are often perceived as being very active, research indicates otherwise. #### 2.2.2 Research findings on physical activity levels Research has shown that movement in preschoolers is varied and irregular, making it challenging to accurately assess activity levels, especially as young children cannot report on their own activity. A significant finding is that only 7% of the investigated preschoolers met the daily recommendation of one hour of moderate to vigorous movement. #### 2.2.3 Causes of insufficient intensive physical activity Several factors contribute to the lack of adequate physical activity: * **Societal factors:** * Decreased spontaneous movement opportunities for children. * Reduced role of physical activity in leisure time. * Increased screen time (computers, television). * Unsafe living environments (traffic, media reports) discouraging outdoor play. * **Home factors:** * Limited living space and play areas within homes. * Overprotection leading to a preference for indoor play for safety. * Excessive television viewing contributing to inactivity. * **School factors:** * Despite an increase in movement education lesson time, it remains insufficient. * Preschool classrooms often lack adequate space for movement and are overcrowded. #### 2.2.4 Consequences of insufficient intensive physical activity Low levels of intensive physical activity have several detrimental consequences for children: * **Increased risk of diseases:** Higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis. * **Overweight and obesity:** 15% of preschoolers are overweight, a predictor of adult obesity. 6% are obese. * **Inactivity in adulthood:** A higher likelihood of becoming an inactive adult. * **Impaired overall development:** Insufficient movement can jeopardize a child's total development. #### 2.2.5 Recommendations from research The research suggests the following recommendations: * **Prioritize movement with sufficient intensity:** Ensure adequate attention is given to vigorous physical activity during movement education and other activities. * **Provide more structured movement opportunities:** Focus on developing motor skills, physical fitness, and a healthy lifestyle during movement lessons. * **Ensure adequate space for play and movement:** Provide spacious playgrounds and gymnasiums that encourage natural movement behavior. ### 2.3 Movement education in preschool Movement education aims to enhance motor development and the child's overall development through rich and meaningful movement activities. #### 2.3.1 Rich movement activities These are meaningful activities that offer developmental opportunities, including movement games, playing with large equipment, dance, and outdoor play. #### 2.3.2 Motor development Teachers stimulate motor development by teaching children to move better and using movement as a basis for their further development. #### 2.3.3 Total development Movement education focuses on the development of the whole child, integrating cognitive, psycho-social, and sensomotoric development. Engaging in ample and varied movement provides a foundation for essential life skills. #### 2.3.4 Creating a powerful learning environment for movement Teachers can facilitate movement education by creating a powerful learning environment. This involves situations that allow children to develop sustainably in terms of: * **Motor competencies.** * **Healthy, fit, and safe lifestyles.** * **Self-concept and social functioning.** A powerful learning environment is fostered by: * **The movement teacher:** Through dedicated movement education. * **The preschool teacher:** By incorporating movement into classroom activities, creating movement corners, and integrating movement into various subjects like language, music, and mathematics. * **The school:** By providing inviting and challenging playgrounds and offering movement impulses during breaks and sports days. #### 2.3.5 Developing a positive self-concept and social functioning A positive self-concept is crucial and is influenced by positive movement experiences, reactions from the environment, and the ability to move and engage socially. Social functioning is determined by how a child perceives themselves and their movement capabilities, influencing their willingness to play with others. #### 2.3.6 Pedagogical and didactic principles for movement education Movement education addresses the child's personality holistically, guided by four key principles: * **All developmental domains:** While focusing on motor development, attention is also given to cognitive, social, and sensory domains through activities like tag games. * **Working within the zone of proximal development:** Teachers must understand children's developmental stages to stimulate them to improve existing skills and explore new ones, fostering problem-solving abilities in movement. * **Powerful learning environment + natural exploratory drive:** Teachers create stimulating environments that motivate children to discover, try, and improve movements independently. * **Experiential learning:** Children learn through self-experience, discovery, and doing. #### 2.3.7 Understanding motor skills and motor development * **Motor skills:** Refers to the individual's way of interacting with their environment, encompassing perceptive, cognitive, and moving responses. Personal perspective and abilities shape motor function. * **Motor development:** The age-related changes in motor skills and movement behavior. Children are born with basic movement structures that mature through ripening and environmental interaction, evolving from reflexive movements to refined, goal-directed actions. * **Movement education and motor competence:** Movement education focuses on motor competence, defined as the ability to move accurately, appropriately, and meaningfully in specific situations. This includes not only skillful movement but also emotional engagement. Motor development is a rapid process in early childhood, influenced by physiological growth, genetics, and environment. #### 2.3.8 General course of motor development Motor development begins prenatally and progresses rapidly through infancy and toddlerhood. * **Prenatal phase:** Acquisition of basic structures for movement. * **Baby and toddler phase (0-2 years):** Development of essential life movements like upright posture, balance, locomotion, and grasping, necessary for independent functioning. * **Preschooler phase (focus of this course):** Teachers need to understand the typical abilities of preschoolers at different ages to tailor activities. Motor development can be divided into: * **Psychomotor development:** Brain-controlled movements, including body awareness, time perception, and spatial perception. * **Gross motor skill development:** Fundamental movements like crawling, walking, and running. * **Fine motor skill development:** Eye-hand coordination, involving grasping, releasing, and manipulating objects. * **Sensory development:** Perceiving, processing, and responding to sensory stimuli. #### 2.3.9 Psychomotor skills These are essential for self-reliance in movement situations. * **Body perception:** Understanding how the body moves, aided by proprioception, leading to body awareness. This includes perceiving balance, body axes, proportions, and laterality. * **Laterality and preferred body side:** The functional asymmetry of body sides. This develops through neurological processes and environmental influences, becoming visible through the use of a preferred limb for fine motor tasks. #### 2.3.10 Utilizing movement dynamics This involves controlling movement energy and reacting appropriately. * **Slowing down movement:** The ability to decelerate or stop an ongoing movement, crucial for balance and controlled actions. * **Reacting quickly:** Minimizing the time between a sensory stimulus and the required movement response, requiring alertness to visual, auditory, or tactile cues. #### 2.3.11 Differentiated movement and timing These are often intertwined in children's movement behavior. * **Differentiated movement:** Involving appropriate body parts in a movement with the right proportion and minimal extraneous movement. * **Movement timing:** The ability to coordinate movement parts sequentially or simultaneously to create fluid motion, such as in walking or throwing. #### 2.3.12 Movement energy, relaxation, and breathing * **Movement energy (tonus):** Refers to the body's energy or tension. Balanced tonus results in lively and alert movements. Tonus is influenced by stress and emotional state. * **Dosage of movement energy:** Learning to control the intensity of movements. * **Adapted breathing:** Adjusting breathing rhythm to different movement intensities. * **Relaxation:** Achieving a state of inner calm and physical rest. #### 2.3.13 Spatial perception This enables children to manage space, direction, distance, and movement paths. * **Skills of spatial perception:** Locating oneself and objects in space, perceiving and navigating directions, estimating and bridging distances, and understanding movement paths of objects and people. #### 2.3.14 Time perception This involves coordinating movements with time. * **Skills of time perception:** Managing duration (the time a movement takes), tempo (the relative speed of movements), and sequencing movements in a specific order. This also includes moving to a beat and rhythm. #### 2.3.15 Gross motor skills These are fundamental movement patterns developed for survival and play. * **Locomotor skills:** Moving the body from one point to another (e.g., running, jumping). * **Stability skills:** Maintaining balance (e.g., rolling, swinging). * **Manipulative skills:** Controlling objects with hands or feet (e.g., throwing, kicking). Key gross motor skills include: walking, balancing, creeping, climbing, hanging, swinging, rotating, jumping, throwing and catching, kicking, lifting and carrying, pulling and pushing. #### 2.3.16 Fine motor skills These develop significantly in the preschool years, particularly eye-hand coordination and the dexterity of hands and fingers. ### 2.4 Movement education strategies in preschool #### 2.4.1 Work formats Movement can be integrated into the classroom through: * **Movement in the classroom:** Short movement breaks, movement corners, and integrated movement activities. * **Movement education in the gym/outdoors:** Movement games, tag games, and activities with small materials. #### 2.4.2 The role of play in movement education Play is the primary mode of learning and exploration for preschoolers. * **Free movement play:** Children explore and experiment with movement independently within a given environment. * **Movement play with rules:** Playful tasks with clear, simple instructions that encourage self-activity and autonomy. These can be open, half-open, or closed-ended tasks. #### 2.4.3 Movement education in the classroom Integrating movement into the classroom is essential as learning and movement are interconnected. Movement stimulates the brain, enhances memory, and can be used as a tool for other learning areas. * **Movement corners/play zones:** These provide diverse opportunities for movement-based play, catering to children's interests and developmental needs. They can be set up based on themes, motor skill goals, or by extending previous activities. * **Movement moments/fill-in moments:** Short, class-wide activities designed to provide variety, smooth transitions, and address children's need for movement. These moments are chosen based on available space, the number of children, age, material, theme, and specific learning objectives. * **Guided movement activities:** These are structured activities, equally important as other guided learning activities, designed to develop specific motor skills in a limited space. They require careful consideration of space, material, movement form, duration, and thematic connection to other daily activities. #### 2.4.4 Movement education in the gym or outdoors These settings offer more space and opportunities for movement. * **Movement games in the gym or outdoors:** Choosing games based on age, experience, theme, and available materials, while considering the larger space. This allows for more complex formations, varied movement forms, and longer durations. * **Tag games:** Popular due to their simplicity, minimal material requirements, and high movement intensity. They can be adapted for all age groups and promote spatial awareness, game insight, and social-emotional skills. Different categories of tag games exist, including preparatory, basic, chase, free space, obstacle, and free tag games, each offering varying levels of challenge. * **Movement stimulation with small materials:** Using small materials like balls, hoops, and ropes to encourage experimentation and develop specific movement skills. The choice of material and its use (fixed or manipulable) influences the types of movements performed. Combinations of materials, space, and other elements can further enhance developmental opportunities. The tables in the original document provide detailed examples of variations for different movement forms, materials, and fantasy scenarios, illustrating how to adapt activities for various age groups and developmental goals. --- # Movement education in preschool: principles and practice Movement education in preschool is crucial for fostering holistic child development through rich and purposeful movement activities. ### 3.1 The importance of movement for young children Movement is fundamental to a child's overall development, influencing their physical, cognitive, psycho-social, and emotional well-being. #### 3.1.1 Motor development as a foundation Motor development, the continuous process of improving motor skills from gross to fine, forms the basis for all subsequent movement abilities and functional participation in society. * **Gross motor skills** include activities like running, jumping, and maintaining balance. * **Fine motor skills** involve precision tasks such as cutting, writing, and tying shoelaces. #### 3.1.2 Connection to overall development Motor skills are intricately linked with other developmental domains: * **Sensory development:** The mouth's tactile function, for instance, is engaged as infants explore objects. * **Intellectual development:** Through actions like throwing balls or climbing, children discover meanings, connections, and relationships, leading to understanding. * **Psycho-social development:** Motor competence boosts self-esteem, fostering independence, courage, perseverance, and social skills like respect and openness. #### 3.1.3 Well-being, health, and academic performance Regular physical activity contributes to a child's overall well-being (physical, psychological, and social), which are interconnected. Movement and play are vital for: * **Growth:** Stimulating the development of muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. * **Concentration:** Enhancing brain blood flow for improved learning and focus. * **Health:** Reducing the long-term risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. * **Self-esteem:** Promoting a positive self-image. * **Stress reduction:** Acting as an effective stress-management tool. #### 3.1.4 Societal belonging and social integration Participation in movement activities allows children to play and connect with others, fostering a sense of belonging within the community's movement offerings. ### 3.2 Physical activity levels of preschoolers Research indicates that many preschoolers do not meet the recommended guideline of 60 minutes of moderate to intensive physical activity daily. #### 3.2.1 Causes of insufficient intensive physical activity Several societal and environmental factors contribute to this deficit: * **Societal changes:** Reduced spontaneous movement opportunities due to increased screen time (computers, television) and less emphasis on physical activity in leisure. * **Unsafe living environments:** Concerns about traffic and media reports lead to less outdoor play. * **Home environment:** Limited space indoors and overprotection may restrict movement. * **School environment:** While movement education time has increased, it's often insufficient, and preschool classrooms may lack adequate space for movement, often being overcrowded. #### 3.2.2 Consequences of insufficient physical activity Low levels of intensive movement can lead to: * **Increased prevalence of diseases:** Such as heart and vascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis. * **Overweight and obesity:** A significant percentage of preschoolers are overweight, with a higher risk of becoming obese adults. * **Inactivity in adulthood:** Early inactivity patterns often persist into adulthood. * **Compromised overall development:** Lack of movement can negatively impact a child's holistic development. #### 3.2.3 Recommendations The research suggests a need for: * Increased focus on movement with sufficient intensity during movement education and other activities. * More structured movement sessions that address motor skill development, physical fitness, and healthy lifestyle choices. * Provision of spacious playgrounds and gymnasiums to encourage natural movement behaviors. ### 3.3 Movement education in preschool Movement education focuses on motor and overall development through rich movement activities, which are meaningful and offer developmental opportunities. #### 3.3.1 Motor development Teachers stimulate motor development by teaching children how to move better and using movement as a basis for their broader development. #### 3.3.2 Holistic development Movement education aims to develop the whole child – cognitively, psycho-socially, and sensorimotorically. Varied and ample movement lays the foundation for essential life skills. #### 3.3.3 Creating a powerful learning environment for movement A powerful learning environment, where children can sustainably develop motor competencies, healthy lifestyles, and self-concept, is fostered by: * **Movement teachers:** Through dedicated movement education. * **Preschool teachers:** By integrating movement into daily activities, corners, and moments. * **The school:** By providing inviting and stimulating play areas and organizing movement-focused events. #### 3.3.4 Developing a positive self-concept and social functioning A positive self-concept, shaped by positive experiences and environmental reactions, is crucial. Movement plays a vital role, as children who have positive movement experiences are more likely to engage in social play. ### 3.4 Pedagogical and didactic principles for movement education Movement education addresses the child's total personality, guided by four core principles: #### 3.4.1 All developmental domains While focusing on motor development, movement education also integrates other developmental domains, such as cognitive (spatial awareness) and social (following rules). #### 3.4.2 Working within the zone of proximal development Teachers must understand and consider the natural progression of child development, stimulating them to improve existing skills and explore new ones. This allows children to devise solutions for movement challenges. #### 3.4.3 Powerful environment and natural curiosity A stimulating movement environment encourages children to discover, experiment with, and refine movements, fostering self-development. #### 3.4.4 Experience-based learning Children learn best by experiencing, discovering, and doing. The nature of movement activities directly influences the skills developed (e.g., ball games for eye-hand coordination, dancing for rhythm and body awareness). Importantly, the impact of an activity can differ for each child based on their personality, motor level, and interests. ### 3.5 Understanding motor skills and motor development * **Motor skills:** Refer to an individual's personal way of interacting with their environment, encompassing how they perceive, think, and move. This functioning is shaped by personal perspective and capabilities. * **Motor development:** Is the age-related change in motor behavior. Children are born with basic motor structures that mature and develop through interaction with their environment, progressing from reflexive to refined, goal-directed movements. ### 3.6 Movement education and motor competence Movement education aims to develop children's motor competence, which is the ability to move appropriately, adaptably, and expressively in various situations. This competence is built on a substantial, often invisible, foundation. Motor development is rapid from birth to seven years, influenced by physiological growth, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. While development follows predictable stages, the pace is individual. ### 3.7 Stimulating motor development To effectively stimulate motor development, teachers must: * Understand the capabilities of children within specific age groups. * Be aware of normal motor development progression to tailor movement impulses accordingly. * Recognize the significance of motor development to provide meaningful stimuli. For example, enabling a five-year-old to functionally use their jumping skills for various obstacles. #### 3.7.1 General course of motor development Motor development begins prenatally and progresses rapidly in early childhood. * **Prenatal phase:** Establishes the basic structures for movement. * **Infant and toddler phase (0-2 years):** Rapid development of essential life skills like standing, balancing, moving, and grasping. * **Preschooler phase (focus):** Teachers must understand age-appropriate abilities to plan activities. Motor development can be categorized into: * **Psychomotor development:** Brain-controlled movements, including body awareness, time perception, and spatial perception. * **Gross motor skill development:** Fundamental movements like crawling, walking, and running. * **Fine motor skill development:** Eye-hand coordination for tasks like gripping and manipulating objects. * **Sensory development:** Perceiving, processing, and responding to sensory input. #### 3.7.2 Psychomotor skills These are consciously brain-controlled movements essential for self-reliance in movement situations. * **Body perception:** Understanding how the body moves through proprioceptive input (information about the body's position and movement). This involves: * Discovering body space and maintaining balance. * Sensing body boundaries and body parts. * Perceiving body axes and postures. * Sensing and using lateral preference. * **Lateral preference:** The functional difference between the left and right sides of the body, influenced by neurological processes and environmental orientation. It becomes visible through the use of a dominant side for finer motor tasks. * **Using movement dynamics:** * **Braking movement:** The ability to slow down or stop a movement, crucial for balance and controlled actions. * **Reacting quickly:** Minimizing the time between a sensory stimulus and the motor response, requiring alertness to visual, auditory, or tactile cues. * **Differentiated movement and timing movements:** These are closely linked and involve involving different body parts in proportion, avoiding excess movement, and harmonizing the body. Timing involves coordinating movement components, whether simultaneous or sequential, for a fluid whole. * **Movement energy management:** Regulating muscle tone (tonus) is crucial for liveliness and alertness. Tonus is influenced by stress and emotional state. This involves: * **Dosage of movement energy:** Practicing controlled movements. * **Adapted breathing:** Adjusting breathing to movement intensity. * **Coming to rest:** Achieving inner calm. * **Space perception:** Understanding position, direction, distance, and movement paths to navigate and move effectively in space. This includes: * **Position:** Locating oneself and objects in space. * **Direction:** Moving towards a specific point or target. * **Distance:** Perceiving and bridging the space between points. * **Movement paths:** Adjusting one's movement to the path of objects or people. * **Time perception:** Synchronizing movements with time, including duration, tempo, and rhythm. This involves: * **Duration:** Understanding the time a movement takes. * **Tempo:** Adjusting movement speed (fast or slow). * **Rhythm and meter:** Moving to a beat or pattern, which is more challenging for preschoolers. #### 3.7.3 Gross motor skills These are fundamental movements developed through evolution and natural play. * **Locomotor skills:** Moving the body from one point to another (e.g., walking, running, jumping). * **Stability skills:** Maintaining balance (static and dynamic), including rolling, swinging, and hanging. * **Manipulative skills:** Controlling objects with hands or feet (e.g., throwing, catching, kicking, dribbling). Key gross motor skills include: * **Walking/Running:** Differentiated by periods of double support (walking) versus flight phase (running). * **Balancing:** Continuously adjusting muscle contractions to maintain equilibrium, crucial for all movements. * **Creeping, crawling, climbing, scrambling:** Various forms of horizontal and vertical locomotion. * **Hanging, swinging, rocking:** Skills involving holding onto or moving with equipment. * **Rotating:** Turning the body around different axes. * **Jumping:** Involving a push-off, flight phase, and landing. * **Throwing and catching:** Projecting and receiving objects. * **Kicking:** Striking an object with the foot. * **Lifting and carrying:** Moving objects vertically or holding them while moving. * **Pulling and pushing:** Moving loads towards or away from the body. #### 3.7.4 Fine motor skills These develop more gradually, with increasing control of hand and finger movements. * **2.5-3 years:** Developing eye-hand coordination, with global movements from the shoulder. Fine hand and finger manipulation is developing. * **4 years:** Improved eye-hand coordination, better manipulation of objects, and developing hand preference. * **5 years:** Fine motor skills require precision, and a clear hand preference is usually established. ### 3.8 Movement education practices in preschool Various approaches are used to integrate movement into the preschool day: #### 3.8.1 Movement in the classroom * **Movement snacks/filler moments:** Short, structured periods for intensive movement to transition between activities or meet a child's need for movement. * **Movement corners/play zones:** Designated areas offering a variety of materials and activities to encourage exploration and deepen play, catering to diverse needs. These are built based on themes, specific motor goals, or continued exploration from other activities. * **Movement activities in the classroom:** Purposeful integration of movement to support specific developmental goals, learning across different domains, and brain stimulation. * **Guided movement activities:** Deliberate sessions to develop movement skills beyond formal gym classes, considering space, material, and duration constraints. These can be linked to other subjects or themes, adapting to the group's energy levels. #### 3.8.2 Movement education in the gym or outdoors * **Movement games:** Utilizing the greater space and material possibilities for more extensive and complex movement experiences. * **Space utilization:** Arranging space in various formations (rows, circles) to develop spatial awareness. * **Material use:** Selecting materials that encourage more movement and considering children's prior experience. * **Movement forms:** Choosing activities that utilize the available space, considering the children's developmental level. * **Duration and structure:** Activities can be longer and more complex, with logical sequencing of games. * **Tag games:** A popular and adaptable choice that promotes physical activity, spatial awareness, game insight, and social-emotional skills. * **Roles:** Understanding the roles of the "tagger" and "runner" is crucial for game effectiveness and child engagement. * **Game variations:** Tag games can be categorized by basic structures (preparatory, basic, crossing-over, free-space, obstacle, free tag) to adjust difficulty and promote different skills. * **Movement stimulation with small materials:** Using small materials to encourage experimentation and develop various movement skills. * **Material selection:** Choosing materials that align with children's interests and provoke desired movements, considering how they can be used individually or in groups, and in combination with other elements or the space. * **Types of materials:** Includes both specific movement equipment and readily available "free" materials. ### 3.9 Play within movement education Play is the primary vehicle for learning and development in preschool, with all movement activities being playful. #### 3.9.1 Free movement play Children freely explore and experiment with movement in a provided environment, choosing their methods and execution. This encourages exploration and experimentation. #### 3.9.2 Movement play with rules Simple, playful tasks and games that encourage self-activity and independence. These can be: * **Open tasks:** Children decide how to complete the task. * **Semi-open tasks:** Children have choices within certain limitations. * **Closed tasks:** The teacher dictates the exact execution of the task. * **Guided play:** Activities with a clear game idea, rules, and structure that encourage movement. This also develops tactical insight. #### 3.9.3 Play for younger versus older preschoolers * **Younger preschoolers:** Movements are typically individual, bilateral or unilateral, and simple (avoiding combinations of movements). Teachers often lead by demonstration and verbalization. Spatial arrangements are individual, simple, and clear. * **Older preschoolers:** Movements can be individual, partnered, or in groups. They develop awareness of laterality, left-right concepts, and crossing the midline. Movements can be more localized, and tasks can challenge concentration and memory. They can initiate ideas and demonstrate. Spatial arrangements can become more complex, with varied distances and partner work. --- ## Common mistakes to avoid - Review all topics thoroughly before exams - Pay attention to formulas and key definitions - Practice with examples provided in each section - Don't memorize without understanding the underlying concepts

| Term | Definition | |------|------------| | Motor development | The natural, continuous process through which children improve their motor skills, ranging from gross motor skills (running, jumping, balance) to fine motor skills (cutting, writing, tying shoelaces). | | Gross motor skills | Abilities that involve the large muscles of the body, such as those used for running, jumping, climbing, and maintaining balance. | | Fine motor skills | Abilities that involve the small muscles of the body, typically in the hands and fingers, used for tasks like cutting with scissors, writing, and buttoning clothes. | | Physical activity norm | The recommended amount of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity for children, which is 60 minutes for preschoolers. | | Overweight | A condition where a person has a body weight that is significantly higher than what is considered healthy for their height and age, affecting 15% of the researched preschoolers in the document. | | Obesity | A complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat, posing serious health risks. In the document, 6% of preschoolers were found to have obesity. | | Zone of proximal development (ZPD) | A concept developed by Vygotsky, referring to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with guidance from a more knowledgeable person. Educators should aim their activities within this zone to stimulate learning. | | Kinesthetic perception | The awareness of one's body movements and position in space, crucial for coordinating and controlling physical actions. | | Proprioceptive feedback | Sensory information that comes from within the body, providing information about joint position, muscle tension, and movement. It is essential for body awareness. | | Body schema | An internalized sense of the body's structure and its parts, including their spatial relationships. It develops through movement and sensory experiences. | | Lateralization | The process by which the two hemispheres of the brain become specialized for different functions, leading to a preference for one side of the body (e.g., left or right-handedness). | | Dominant side | The preferred side of the body (e.g., hand or foot) that performs fine motor tasks more skillfully. | | Reaction time | The time elapsed between a stimulus and the response to it. In movement, it's the time between perceiving a signal and executing the required action. | | Differentiated movement | The ability to use different body parts in the correct proportion and with minimal extraneous movement, allowing for precise and coordinated actions. | | Rhythmic movement | Movement that is performed in accordance with a beat or tempo, such as moving to music. | | Locomotor skills | Skills that involve moving the body from one place to another, such as walking, running, jumping, and hopping. | | Stability skills | Skills that involve maintaining balance, whether the body is stationary or in motion, such as balancing, rolling, and swinging. | | Manipulative skills | Skills that involve controlling objects with the hands, feet, or other body parts, such as throwing, catching, kicking, and dribbling. | | Balance | The ability to maintain the body's equilibrium, either statically (while still) or dynamically (while moving). | | Throwing | A skill involving propelling an object away from the body using the hands or an implement, characterized by a long contact and impulse. | | Catching | A skill involving intercepting a moving object with the hands or an implement. | | Kicking | A skill involving striking an object or body part with the foot or lower leg, characterized by a short contact and impulse. | | Pushing | A skill involving applying force to move an object away from one's body. | | Pulling | A skill involving applying force to move an object toward one's body. | | Eye-hand coordination | The ability of the eyes and hands to work together to perform a task, such as catching a ball or drawing within lines. | | Gross motor skills | Abilities that involve the large muscles of the body, such as those used for running, jumping, climbing, and maintaining balance. | | Fine motor skills | Abilities that involve the small muscles of the body, typically in the hands and fingers, used for tasks like cutting with scissors, writing, and buttoning clothes. | | Movement education | A pedagogical approach that emphasizes the importance of physical activity for children's overall development, including motor, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects. | | Play-based learning | An educational approach where children learn through play, which is seen as a natural and effective method for development and skill acquisition. | | Open-ended task | An activity or assignment that allows for multiple solutions or approaches, encouraging creativity and exploration. | | Semi-open task | An activity with some defined parameters but still allowing for choice in how it is executed. | | Closed task | An activity with very specific instructions on how it must be performed. | | Guided play | Play that is facilitated by an adult who provides structure, rules, and support to enhance learning and development. | | Tactical insight | The ability to think strategically about how to perform a game or movement to achieve a specific goal. | | Tag games | A category of games where one or more players try to tag (touch) other players, who then become "it" or are out of the game. | | Movement stations | Designated areas or setups within a classroom or gym where children can engage in specific movement activities. | | Transition moments | Short, structured periods used to help children move smoothly between different activities or states of focus. | | Spatial awareness | The ability to understand one's position in relation to objects and spaces, and to navigate effectively within that space. | | Temporal perception | The ability to understand and respond to concepts of time, such as duration, tempo, and sequence. | | Rhythm | A pattern of stressed and unstressed beats or movements. | | Meter | A consistent, repeating beat or pulse, often found in music, which can guide movement. |