ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to investigate physical development in children from birth through to the age of 8. It evidences the fact that the physical development and health of children are inextricably linked. The chapter begins by exploring very early development and examines some of the factors that determine healthy development. It discusses how healthy physical development can be promoted in pre-school settings. The chapter provides an overview of early physical development and the links with brain development and outlines the differences between gross motor skills, locomotor skills and fine motor skills. It considers the issues affecting physical development, such as hereditary factors, poverty, nutrition, obesity, and social and emotional development. The chapter provides an understanding of the significance of the learning environment on physical development and also provides an overview of physical education in school. Physical development relies on developments in the brain, which is stimulated by a combination of external experiences and the progression of an inborn maturational plan.
