Children and Physical Activity

The importance of physical activity for children, is movement and physical activity because fitness fosters children’s growth and development and helps them stay strong and healthy (Sanders, 2011). They learn as they grow throughout their environment while running and playing with different age group at recess or play time. While observing children you will see them most playing, jumping and kicking the ball to friends. They love to interact with others kids while playing outside and in active play.

Developmental skills that they will learn while keeping themselves busy is by using their gross motor skills by catching and throwing the ball while playing outside with friends, they can also use their fine motor skills by putting a puzzle together using the muscle in their hands. Learning language and thinking skills is another skill that they can learn while getting the right physical movement that will get their mind in motion so they can figure out what is the next thing that they want to do. They like stacking up blocks and counting them, it helps them understand the things that they are building and making. They understand most of what is being said and 75% of their speech understands (Firchow, 2012).

When going outside they use their gross motor skills by running around playing kickball, throwing the ball, using their fine motor skills by catching the ball. An activity that they can make is called Squishy bags is when they mix all different colors in a bag, they can squish and mix the colors in the bag by using their fingers. Another activity that they can play is tag, that’s when you tag your friend and they run to try and tag the next friend, they are using gross motor to build up their muscle in their legs.

If kids don’t get enough exercise they will lack the energy and protein that they need for their body to function properly. In   day and time we have to be very careful with watching our children weight, because of the obesity that is going on with young children and teen today. Childhood obesity is now the most prevalent nutrional disease in children 18 years old and younger (Peters, 2004). Excess weight is basically a problem created by energy imbalance (Robertson, pg 259, 2009). Children that are not physical active and take in too many calories can be on the way to being obesity. We can help them by going out and exercising with our children to get ourselves fit. A common misconception is that young children just naturally learn how to run, catch, throw and catch competence.(Goodway)