Chapter 12 Large Motor and Outdoor Play Through outdoor play children develop their small muscles, eye-hand coordination, balance and coordination, large

Chapter 12Large Motor

and Outdoor Play

Through outdoor play children develop their small muscles, eye-hand coordination, balance and coordination, large muscles,

general health, a sense of freedom, an understanding of nature, creativity, social play skills, multisensory integration and learning, ability to explore and solve problems, and their

imaginations.©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Physical Fitness Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move

Campaign tells us Physical activity is an essential

component of a healthy lifestyle In combination with healthy eating,

physical activity can help prevent a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke, which are the three leading causes of death

©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Physical Fitness (continued)

Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign tells us Physical activity helps control weight,

builds lean muscle, reduces fat, promotes strong bone, muscle and joint development, and decreases the risk of obesity

Children need 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day to grow up to a healthy weight


Motor Development and Physical Fitness Developing physical skills can be

compared to learning to read and write or learning math or science concepts It has equal importance

Requires indoor and outdoor activities Motor development includes

Large muscle development Small muscle development


Did you know? Large motor activities develop skill and

strength in arms, legs, and torso, help release tension, and promote relaxation

Being active for 60 minutes each day has been shown to Increase concentration and focus Improve classroom attendance and

behavior Boost academic performance


Types of Movement Locomotor movement

Movement in space Moving the whole body from one place

to another

Nonlocomotor movement Movement in place Feet remain stationary while other

parts of the body move


Types of Movement (continued)

Manipulative movement Gross motor movements involving

force imparted to or received from objects

Any gross motor skill in which an object is involved

Kinesthetic The use of the body to learn about

physical capabilities, develop body awareness, and gain understanding of the world


Physical Development Goals Strength: The physical energy

available for movement or resistance Stamina/endurance: The capacity for

sustained use of strength or physical energy

Flexibility: Ease and range of movement

Agility: The ability to move with speed, grace, and precision


Developmental Stages in Infants Young infants can reach, play with

their hands and feet, lift their heads, and put things in their mouths

Older babies go from rolling over and sitting, to scooting, bouncing, creeping, pulling themselves up, and standing

One-year-olds can walk steadily and climb stairs


Developmental Stages in Toddlers Toddlers test their physical skills by

Jumping from heights Climbing Hanging by their arms Rolling Rough-and-tumble play


Developmental Stages in Preschool

Preschool children like to experiment with their physical skills such as Kicking Throwing Catching Running Jumping Galloping Hopping on one foot Skipping


Developmental Stages in Primary Years During the primary years, children

increase the following as they take on the challenges of organized sports Agility Strength Endurance


Did you know? Children’s mental spatial transformation

abilities benefit from active movement Allows them to tap into well-established

and fine-tuned links between action and cognition primarily used for keeping track of the environment during movement and for tracking objects such as blocks during manipulation of them


Large Motor Play Equipment for Indoors Blocks Hollow Blocks Balls Hoops Scarves Streamers Beanbags Big boxes

Swim noodles cut in half or in pieces

Tape lines and shapes on the floor

Tents made out of blankets

Obstacle courses made with objects in the classroom


An Effective Outdoor Playground

Active play Sand and water Gardening Dramatic play Shaded area for

relaxing and protection from the elements

Exciting entry

Paths to get from place to place

Sufficient storage areas located throughout near the location where materials will be used

Access to toileting, hand washing, and drinking water


Outdoor Play Equipment Permanent climbers

Take-apart climbers for older children

Sturdy wooden crates and barrels

Tire swings Slides

Balance beam Tricycles,

wagons, and other wheeled toys

Plastic hoops Balls of various

sizes Mounted steering

wheel


Reflect on This Do you think slides are a safe piece of

equipment for an outdoor play space? Why?


Nature Deficit “One U.S. researcher suggests a

generation of children is not only being raised indoors, but is being confined to even smaller spaces. . . . [T]hey spend more and more time in car seats, high chairs, and even baby seats for watching TV. When small children do go outside, they’re often placed in containers—strollers—and pushed by walking or jogging parents.” (Louv, 2008)


Nature Play Simple experiences with nature can be

powerful opportunities for teaching and learning with young children. Observing and talking about the many sensory aspects of nature—the sounds and smells of wind and rain, changing colors of the seasons, the tastes of fruits, vegetables, and herbs—inspire interest and appreciation of the beauty of nature (Torquati and Barber, 2005).


Nature Inspired Creativity Nature excursions also can inspire creativity in

artwork Children can draw or paint pictures about their

experiences

Can use collections of natural materials to create artistic masterpieces Berries for dyes Dried stalks for tracing or relief rubbings Acorns, seeds, sticks, and pebbles for collages

You may even find real clay to dig up and sculpt


Infants Outside An outdoor space for infants can be as

simple as placing a blanket or mat in an unused section of a larger playground Or an area with appropriate infant-sized

equipment

It is important that infants have access to the outdoors where they can experience the change in temperature, color, smell, sounds, and textures


Technology Causes Sedentary Play Noninteractive media can lead to

passive viewing and overexposure to screen time for young children

The APA recommends that children ages 2 and younger should not be exposed to television Children older than 2 should limit daily

media exposure to only one to two hours of quality programming per week


Technology Causes Sedentary Play Studies show a relationship between

television viewing and the risk of being overweight in preschool children, independent of socio-demographic factors

Children need at least 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day Does not have to occur at once


Let’s Move CampaignIdeas for Parents Give children toys that encourage physical

activity like balls, kites, and jump ropes Encourage children to join a sports team

or try a new physical activity Limit TV time and keep the TV out of a

child’s bedroom Organize a family walk a few times a week Walk around the block after a meal Make a new house rule: No sitting still

during television commercials


Let’s Move CampaignIdeas for Parents (continued)

Find time to spend together doing a fun activity

Issue a family challenge to see who can be the first to achieve a Presidential Active Lifestyle Award by committing to physical activity five days a week for six weeks

Be sure that children get the sleep they need Most children younger than 5 need to sleep

for 11 hours or more per day Children 5-10 need 10 hours of sleep or more

per day


Guidance Most injuries occurring on playgrounds are

the result of falls More injuries on climbers than other

playground equipment

Supervision is key to safe outdoor play Teachers should stay involved, have

specific duties, and be sure to check hiding places such as under the climber

Remove temptations such as a barrel that has rolled over by the fence making it easy to climb


Guidance (continued)

To teach safety rules, be sure to show as well as tell Remind children of the rules often

Young children are usually egocentric Can’t understand other children’s wants and

needs

Children want autonomy so they need to do things for themselves

Children operate in the here and now Do not remember what you told them five

minutes ago


Common Safety Rules for Outdoor Play Wear shoes when

outside Make room for others Hold on to grips and

rails Stay away from

swings Keep fingers away

from moving parts Always climb up and

slide down


Indirect Causes of Conflict Space:

Not enough space, too much open space (promotes rough-and tumble play), or overlapping use zones for play equipment causing children to run into each other

Group size or ratio: Too many children on the playground at once, the

age range is too broad, or not enough staff

Equipment: Not enough play spaces so children are crowded,

lack of loose parts such as balls and sand buckets, or are not age appropriate


Teaching Tips Include large motor activities and outdoor

play each day Follow large motor and outdoor activities

with quiet activities Model active and enthusiastic participation

in large motor and outdoor activities Demonstrate the movement or skill you

want children to learn Encourage experimentation through open-

ended questions Individualize teaching to meet differing

needs


Teaching Tips Encourage and reinforce each child’s

efforts Practice the movement in fun and unique

ways to build the skill over time Recognize the importance and

possibilities of outdoor play Create rich, challenging outdoor

environments Plan special activities for outdoor time Provide props and loose parts to extend

children’s play Observe and document children’s learning


Documents

Chapter 12 Large Motor and Outdoor Play Through outdoor play children develop their small muscles, eye-hand coordination, balance and coordination, large