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Physical
Activity Developmental Chapters
EARLY
CHILDHOOD 
Overview
During early
childhood (ages 1 to 4), a child's world expands to include friends,
schoolmates, and others in the community. The child's physical,
cognitive, social, and emotional development are tightly linked.
For this reason, physical activity affects not only the physical
health of children but also their overall health status.
Early childhood is
divided into two stages: the toddler stage, ages 1 to 2, and
the young child stage, ages 3 to 4. The toddler stage can be
stressful for parents as toddlers develop a sense of independence.
As they get older, children become more interested in trying
new activities.
Early childhood is
a key period for promoting physical activity. During these
years, fundamental motor skills, basic movement patterns that
all children tend to develop (e.g., walking, running, galloping,
jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, striking, kicking,
balancing), begin to develop. If children are encouraged to
be physically active, these skills can develop into advanced
patterns of motor coordination that can last a lifetime. Unfortunately,
many children barely acquire fundamental motor skills and some
will not develop advanced patterns of motor coordination because
they are not encouraged to participate in physical activities
that provide opportunities to practice these skills.
Participation and
instruction in various physical activities help children develop
motor skills. Although other factors (e.g., genetics) influence
whether a child will become an athlete, physical activity in
early childhood helps ensure that children will have the motor
skills they need throughout life. Children will not develop
motor skills without intervention.
Children of this
age usually play and explore; however, many spend only 10 to
20 percent of their time participating in gross motor physical
activities, which require whole-body participation (e.g., walking,
running, climbing). Many children spend too much time participating
in sedentary behaviors (e.g., watching television and videotapes,
playing computer games, playing with toys that do not require
the child to move). Children benefit
from physical activity in a number of ways. Physical activity
can
-
Give children
a feeling of accomplishment.
-
Reduce the risk
of certain diseases (e.g., coronary heart disease, hypertension,
colon cancer, diabetes mellitus), if children continue to
be active during adulthood.
-
Promote mental
health.
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