ABSTRACT
We tend to take young children's growth and physical development for granted, meaning that, given a supportive environment, good food, enough sleep and appropriate opportunities to be physically active, it will ‘just happen anyway’. In many ways this is true: they visibly grow taller and weigh more over time; baby or ‘milk’ teeth fall out and permanent teeth appear; hair and nails grow and need cutting; clothes and shoes require continual replacement; and they become physically more confident, competent, creative and adaptive.
But the world children now inhabit has changed significantly in the last 40 years. Spaces to play freely are often limited, curricular demands affect the time available for children to be active, the increase in child obesity rates remains a serious issue, and the use of ‘screentime’ impacts on their motivation and level of engagement with all things physical. In short, many children are not moving enough to properly support their overall health and wellbeing and ensure smooth growth and physical development. Physical growth, development and health are inextricably linked, and this is discussed in detail within the chapter.
