ABSTRACT
The EYFS identifies the components of Physical Development within the early years as: providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement (Department for Education, 2017, p. 8). However, reports from teachers, the authors’ own observations and the media are portraying a different picture. The British Heart Foundation recently reported that just 9 per cent of boys and 10 per cent of girls (aged 2–4) were meeting the UK Physical activity guidelines of 180 minutes of physical activity a day. This chapter addresses two key questions:
Has physical development (upon entry to school in reception – age 4–5 years) declined in recent years?
Can a daily movement programme help to improve physical development and reduce retained primitive reflexes in reception children?
The Movement for Learning programme is designed for when children start school aged 4–5 years. It consists of specific exercises using everyday equipment found in schools. The exercises provide a range of movement experiences that children may have missed during their early development. The daily sessions last approximately 15–20 minutes. Data from the research project and the second phase of the project support the authors’ beliefs, teachers’ observations and media reports that physical development has declined in recent years with almost double the proportion of children starting school with or at risk of significant movement difficulties (than would have been the case in 2007). Results from the project and feedback from teachers indicate that a movement programme can become part of daily life in a school and can also be effective in improving physical development and all-round learning. Information and the Movement for Learning programmes for Reception and Year One are now available to all schools at no cost. Further details regarding registration can be found at www.movementforlearningproject.co.uk
Our aim is to contribute to the re-definition of early childhood education by enabling as many schools as possible to integrate movement into all aspects of learning.
