Physical development of preschooler: Physical Developmental Milestones: Preschool | Virtual Lab School

Physical Developmental Milestones: Preschool | Virtual Lab School

Objectives

• Identify typical physical developmental milestones in preschool children.
• Discuss what to do if you are concerned about a child’s development.
• Discuss factors that influence physical growth and development.

Learn

Know

The preschool years are a time that seems to be in constant movement. Preschoolers are busy moving in their environments, both indoors and outdoors. They spend large amounts of time running, climbing, jumping, and chasing each other; they scribble, paint, build, pour, cut with scissors, put puzzles together, and string beads. Their motor skills are significantly refined from the time they were toddlers, and they are much more coordinated and purposeful in their actions. They also demonstrate improved speed and strength, and become increasingly more independent.

Physical Growth and Appearance

During the preschool years, there is a steady increase in children’s height, weight, and muscle tone. Compared with toddlers, preschoolers are taller and leaner. Their legs and trunks continue to grow, and their heads are not as large in proportion to their bodies. As preschoolers’ bodies develop over time, the areas in their brains that control movement continue to mature, enabling them to master gross and fine motor skills.

Milestones

Let’s take a look at preschoolers’ physical development. Read the chart below for a closer look at what preschoolers can do with their bodies. Keep in mind that each child is unique and that individual differences exist in regard to the precise age at which children meet these milestones. Milestones should not be seen as rigid checklists to evaluate children’s development. Rather, as highlighted in the Cognitive Development course, milestones provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge in young children based on cognitive development, gross motor development, fine motor development, hearing, speech, vision, and social and emotional development. Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify typical patterns of development in children and to help you know when and what to look for as children mature. Like a family’s pediatrician, family child care providers should be knowledgeable about children’s developmental milestones. You can use your knowledge of these milestones to meet children’s needs in your program. Even though the skills highlighted in the chart develop in a predictable sequence over the preschool years, each child is unique. Your goal is to help all children grow and learn to reach their maximum potential.

Chart: Movement and Physical Developmental Milestones in Preschool

Age 3

• Climbs well
• Runs easily
• Pedals a tricycle
• Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
• Washes and dries hands
• Kicks and throws a small ball
• Draw a circle with a crayon, pencil, or marker
• Uses a fork
• Dresses self in loose clothing

Age 4

• Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
• Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
• Catches a bounced ball most of the time
• Draws a person with two to four body parts
• Uses scissors
• Jump over objects and climb playground ladders
• Starts to copy some capital letters
• Get dressed with minimal help (zippers, snaps, and buttons may still be a little hard)

Age 5

• Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
• Hops, and may be able to skip
• Can do a somersault
• Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife
• Swings and climbs
• Can use toilet on own
• Can print some letters or numbers
• Copies a triangle and other geometric shapes

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Developmental Milestones. An electronic resource available from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/FULL-LIST-CDC_LTSAE-Checklists2021_Eng_FNL2_508.pdf

Influences on Physical Growth

Physical growth and development entails more than just becoming taller, stronger, or larger. It involves a series of changes in body size, composition, and proportion. Biological and environmental factors also affect physical growth and development. In this section, we will examine factors that affect physical growth in young children.

• Brain development: Even though motor abilities in preschool emerge as a result of physical growth and development, many new motor skills are also the result of brain growth. In other words, movement involves more than simply using arms or legs. Think about a preschooler kicking a ball back and forth with a peer or caregiver. Being able to do this task can be attributed not only to skill mastery and development, but also to the brain’s ability to organize visual and auditory messages that guide a child to help make decisions, such as adjusting movement, deciding how hard or soft to kick the ball, waiting if needed and kicking the ball back accordingly. As a family child care provider, you can enhance children’s brain development by engaging children in meaningful interactions that enable them to form connections with their environment and create an understanding about how things work, how things are done, how to treat others, how to deal with emotions, and how to go about their daily lives. Ultimately, in doing so, you help children improve existing skills and acquire new ones.
• Genetic Makeup: Genetic inheritance plays a significant part in children’s physical growth. However, it is important to acknowledge that even though genes influence children’s development, physical growth, like other aspects of development, happens as the result of the interplay between heredity and the environment. Think about your role in creating a rich and stimulating environment that fosters children’s optimal physical development.
• Nutrition: In order to reach optimal physical growth and development, especially at a time when their brains and bodies are developing so rapidly, young children require healthy, balanced diets that provide them with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. As a family child care provider, you serve as a role model for children by promoting these healthy habits yourself.
• Cultural Diversity: Despite universal patterns in child development, there are variations in how and when children develop motor skills. Children’s environments, family culture, and particular life circumstances can affect how they develop and master motor skills. Always be respectful and sensitive about children’s backgrounds and prior experiences. Your goal is to help each child reach their full potential.

See

During the preschool years, you will see significant development in children’s motor skills. Watch this video to learn about milestones in physical growth during the preschool years.

Video not availableWatch physical growth and development across the preschool years.

Do

Understanding developmental milestones is an important part of working with young children. Learning about and understanding how preschoolers use their bodies will help you know how to support them in developing their motor skills and will also help you decide what kinds of learning experiences to plan. Keep in mind that each child is different and that you may have to adapt routines and activities to meet each child’s unique needs. Consider the following:

• Plan meaningfully: In your daily interactions with the children in your care, purposefully plan activities that allow you to observe how children are developing and refining their motor skills. For example, you can observe how children move around during free play, how they follow directions as you lead them through activities, or how they manipulate objects in their hands as you play with them. You should use this valuable observational information to plan activities that promote further development in children or to adapt goals and activities to meet the particular learning needs of any individual child.
• Be sensitive to individual children’s needs: As you engage in these observations, remember that each child is different and that sometimes children may not reach milestones as expected. If you are concerned about a child’s development, talk with the child’s family. This may be difficult, but it’s important, as it can make the difference in meeting a child’s needs. Share information with families about typical child development and let them know you are available to talk. Always feel welcome to talk to a trainer, coach, or family child care administrator in your program about ways to help a child progress in your classroom.
• Be responsive to families’ needs and preferences: If a family approaches you and shares concerns about their child’s development, encourage them to talk to their child’s pediatrician. A pediatrician can perform a developmental screening and possibly refer the child to a specialist. Families of children over age 3 should also contact their local school district. The school district can arrange a free evaluation of the child’s development to assess for developmental delays and arrange services and supports.

Explore

Consider all the different ways preschoolers can use their bodies and what they learn about themselves, their peers, and the world as they master newly-learned skills and develop new ones. This activity will help you think about the significance of physical development and movement in preschool.  

Read and review the Thinking about Physical Development activity below. Take a few minutes to describe movements you see preschool children make. Think about what children are learning while engaging in these movements. Then, share and discuss your responses with your trainer, coach or family child care administrator.

Thinking About Physical Development

Observe and think about the physical development of the children in your family child care home

Required: Complete and review this document with your trainer, supervisor, or administrator

Apply

These tools from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help you share information about child development with families.

Read and review the Tracking Your Child’s Development brochure and the Milestone Moments document. Discuss with your trainer, coach, or family child care administrator and consider sharing it with families.

Parents may be interested also in the Milestone Tracker Mobile App from the CDC, which they can access using this link: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html. 

Glossary

The transmission of genes from a parent to their offspring.

Demonstrate

Finish this statement: Developmental milestones are …

arbitrary and should be ignored.

significantly different for each child.

a tool you can use to help monitor healthy and typical development.

exactly the same for each child.

Which of the following should not be expected of a 3-year-old child?

Pedaling a tricycle

Skipping

Walking up and down stairs, one foot on each step

Climbing

What should you do if you think a child is not reaching developmental milestones?

Tell the family their child will not reach their potential.

Call the child’s pediatrician.

Keep doing business as usual until a special education referral has been made.

First, talk to your trainer, coach or family child care administrator and then meet with the family to discuss ways you might help the child reach important goals.

References & Resources

Berk, L. E. (2013). Child Development (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/pa-pe_paper.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Developmental milestones.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. (2002). Ages and stages questionnaire (ASQ).
https://agesandstages.com/

Schickedanz, J. A., Hansen, K., & Forsyth, P. D. (2000). Understanding Children. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company.

Trawick-Smith, J. W. (2014). Early Childhood Development: A Multicultural Perspective, (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N J: Pearson Education Inc.

Physical Developmental Milestones | Virtual Lab School

Objectives

• Identify typical physical developmental milestones in preschool children.
• Discuss what to do if you are concerned about a child’s development.
• Discuss factors that influence physical growth and development.

Learn

Know

The preschool years are a time of what seems like constant motion. Preschoolers are busy moving in their environments, both indoors and outside. They spend large amounts of time running, climbing, jumping, and chasing each other; they scribble, paint, build, pour, cut with scissors, put puzzles together, and string beads. Their motor skills are significantly refined from the time they were toddlers, and they are much more coordinated and purposeful in their actions. They also demonstrate improved speed and strength, and become increasingly more independent.

Physical Growth and Appearance

A steady increase in children’s height, weight, and muscle tone occurs during the preschool years. (Trawick-Smith, 2014). Compared with toddlers, preschoolers are taller and leaner. Their legs and trunks continue to grow, and their heads are not as large in proportion to their bodies. As preschoolers’ bodies develop over time, the areas in their brains that control movement continue to mature, enabling them to master gross and fine-motor skills.

Milestones

Let’s take a look at preschoolers’ physical development. Read the chart below for a closer look at what preschoolers can do with their bodies. Keep in mind that each child is unique and that individual differences exist in regard to the precise age at which children meet these milestones. Milestones should not be seen as rigid checklists to evaluate children’s development. Rather, as highlighted in the Cognitive Development course, milestones provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge in young children which are based on their cognitive development, gross-motor development, fine-motor development, hearing, speech, vision, social-emotional development, and other factors. Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify typical patterns of development in children and to help you know when and what to look for as children mature. Like a family’s pediatrician, preschool teachers must be knowledgeable about children’s developmental milestones. You can use your knowledge of these milestones to meet children’s needs in your classroom. Even though the skills highlighted in the chart develop in a predictable sequence over the preschool years, each child is unique. Your goal is to help all children grow and learn to reach their maximum potential.

Chart: Movement and Physical Developmental Milestones in Preschool

Age 3

• Climbs well
• Runs easily
• Pedals a tricycle
• Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
• Washes and dries hands
• Kicks and throws a small ball
• Draw a circle with a crayon, pencil, or marker
• Uses a fork
• Dresses self in loose clothing

Age 4

• Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
• Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
• Catches a bounced ball most of the time
• Draws a person with two to four body parts
• Uses scissors
• Jump over objects and climb playground ladders
• Starts to copy some capital letters
• Get dressed with minimal help (zippers, snaps, and buttons may still be a little hard)

Age 5

• Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
• Hops, and may be able to skip
• Can do a somersault
• Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife
• Swings and climbs
• Can use toilet on own
• Can print some letters or numbers
• Copies a triangle and other geometric shapes

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ((2021). Developmental Milestones. An electronic resource available from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/FULL-LIST-CDC_LTSAE-Checklists2021_Eng_FNL2_508.pdf

Influences on Physical Growth

Physical growth and development entails more than just becoming taller, stronger or larger. It involves a series of changes in body size, composition, and proportion. Biological and environmental factors also affect physical growth and development (Berk, 2013). In this section we will examine factors that affect physical growth in young children.

• Brain development: Even though motor abilities in preschool emerge as a result of physical growth and development, many new motor skills are also the result of brain growth. In other words, movement involves more than simply using arms or legs. Recall the example in Lesson One of a preschooler kicking a ball back-and-forth with a peer or caregiver. The ability to do this can be attributed not only to their skill mastery and development, but also to the brain’s ability to organize visual and auditory messages that guide the child and help her make decisions such as, adjusting movement, deciding how hard or soft to kick the ball, waiting if needed, and kicking the ball back accordingly. As a preschool teacher, you can enhance children’s brain development by engaging children in meaningful interactions that enable them to form connections with their environment and create an understanding about how things work, how things are done, how to treat others, how to deal with emotions, and how to go about their daily lives. Ultimately, in doing so, you help children improve existing skills and acquire new ones.
• Heredity: Genetic inheritance plays a significant part in children’s physical growth. However, it is important to acknowledge that even though genes influence children’s development, physical growth, like other aspects of development, happens as the result of the interplay between heredity and environment (Berk, 2013). Think about your role and how you can create a rich and stimulating environment that fosters children’s optimal physical development.
• Nutrition: In order to reach optimal physical growth and development, especially at a time when their brains and bodies are developing so rapidly, young children require healthy balanced diets that provide them with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. As a child care provider, you serve as a role model for children by promoting these healthy habits yourself.
• Cross-cultural differences: Even though there are universal patterns of development that children follow, there can be variations in how children develop motor skills. Children’s environments, family culture, and particular life circumstances can affect how they develop and master motor skills. As a preschool teacher, you must be respectful and sensitive about children’s backgrounds and prior experiences, and your goal should be to help each child reach their full potential.

See

During the preschool years, you will see significant developments in children’s motor skills. Watch this video to learn about milestones in physical growth during the preschool years.

Video not availableWatch physical growth and development across the preschool years.

Do

Understanding developmental milestones is an important part of working with young children. Learning about and understanding how preschoolers use their bodies will help you know how to support them in developing motor skills and what kinds of learning experiences to plan in your classroom and program. Keep in mind that each child is different and that you may have to adapt goals or activities to meet children’s unique needs. Consider the following:

• Plan meaningfully: In your daily interactions with children in your care, purposefully plan activities that let you discover information about the children, such as how they are developing and refining their motor skills. For example, observe how children move around different stations in your room during free play, how they follow directions as you lead them through activities such as circle time, or how they manipulate objects in their hands as you facilitate child-initiated play. Use this valuable observational information to plan activities that promote children’s further development or to adapt goals and activities to meet the particular learning needs of any individual child.
• Be sensitive to individual children’s needs: As you engage in these observations, remember that each child is different and that sometimes children may not reach milestones as expected. If you are concerned about a child’s development, talk with the child’s family. This may be difficult, but important, as it can make the difference in meeting a child’s needs. Share information with families about typical child development and let them know you are available to talk. If your program provides developmental screening tools, these screenings can help you start a conversation about your concerns. Always feel welcome to talk to a trainer, coach, or administrator in your program about ways to help a child progress in your classroom.
• Be responsive to families’ needs and preferences: If a family approaches you and shares concerns about their child’s development, encourage them to talk to their child’s pediatrician. A pediatrician can perform developmental screenings and possibly refer the child to a specialist. Families of children over age 3 should also contact their local school district. The school district can arrange a free evaluation of the child’s development to assess for developmental delays and arrange services and supports.

Explore

Consider all the different ways your preschoolers can use their bodies and what they learn about themselves, their peers, and the world as they master newly-learned skills and develop new ones. The activity below will help you think about the significance of physical development and movement in preschool.

For the Thinking about Physical Development resource, take a few minutes to describe the movements children in your classroom make. Next, think about what children are learning while engaging in these movements. Then, share and discuss your responses with a trainer, coach, or administrator.

Thinking About Development

Observe and think about the physical development of the children in your classroom

Required: Complete and review this document with your trainer, supervisor, or administrator

Apply

Use the Milestone Moments document to monitor the physical development of the children in your in your classroom. These milestone guides from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are great resources that you can share with families.

Parents may be interested also in the Milestone Tracker Mobile App from the CDC, which they can access here: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html.

Glossary

Demonstrate

Finish this statement: Developmental milestones are . ..

arbitrary and should not be considered.

significantly different for each child.

a tool you can use to help monitor healthy development.

exactly the same for each child.

Which of the following should not be expected of a 3-year-old child?

Pedaling a tricycle

Skipping

Walking up and down stairs, one foot on each step

Climbing

What should you do if you think a child is not reaching developmental milestones?

Tell the family their child will not reach potential.

Call the child’s pediatrician.

Keep doing business as usual until a special education referral has been made.

First, talk to a trainer, coach, or administrator, and then meet with the family to discuss ways you might help the child reach important goals.

References & Resources

Berk, L. E. (2013). Child Development (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/pa-pe_paper.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (20132021). Developmental Milestones. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/FULL-LIST-CDC_LTSAE-Checklists2021_Eng_FNL2_508.pdf

National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth (2013). CHILDHOOD SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT. Retrieved from http://www.ncsby.org/content/childhood-sexual-development

Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. (2002). Ages and stages questionnaire (ASQ). https://agesandstages.com/

Schickeadanz, J. A., Hansen, K., & Forsyth, P. D. (2000). Understanding Children. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company. 

Trawick-Smith, J. W. (2014). Early Childhood Development: A Multicultural Perspective, (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. 

Features of the physical development of preschool children

The physical development of preschool children is a continuous process that has its own characteristics. One of them is its unevenness. We are talking about the wave-like growth of the baby, which either intensifies, or vice versa, slows down for a while. The most intensive child grows from birth to a year. During this period, it increases by about 25-40 cm, gaining 50% of body weight at birth.

Physical development of the muscular system

After birth, the child’s muscles are poorly developed, which make up only one fourth of the total body weight. Muscle fibers are unnaturally thin, but as the child grows, they become stronger and increase in volume.

The development of the motor ability of muscles begins with the muscles in the neck, after which the muscles of the body and limbs are connected to the process. From one to three years old, the baby masters the basic movements, the nervous system matures, and now the child walks confidently, runs, plays with the ball. In order for motor activity to develop correctly, it is necessary from birth not to limit the freedom of action of the child and to participate in the process of strengthening his muscles.

Features of the development of the cardiovascular system

Naturally, the heart and blood vessels in a preschool child have little in common with the organs of an adult. A baby’s heart is quite large, its mass is about 25 grams. It will grow rapidly in the first two years of a child’s life. Closer to 3-4 years, its growth will noticeably slow down.

Depending on age, the position of the heart will also change. If in the first two years of life it will be higher, then after that it will begin to acquire an oblique position due to the transformation of the chest, lungs and other changes in the child’s body.

Blood pressure in children is lower than in adults, it is characterized by greater lability. It easily decreases during sleep and rises during intense physical or mental stress.

How does a child’s musculoskeletal system develop?

At preschool age, cartilage tissue ossifies in children, but the bones are still not strong enough. That is why, until the final strengthening of the bones (that is, up to 12 years), you need to protect the baby from participating in power sports.

The development of the skeleton is directly related to the development of ligaments, muscles and joints. As the child grows older, the muscle mass in the child also increases in volume and by the end of preschool age approaches 27% of the total body weight. It is important to monitor how the child walks and sits in order to exclude possible posture problems in the future.

Food is of great importance at this age. The child should receive enough protein foods, as well as the required amount of foods high in calcium and magnesium, which will positively affect the strengthening of bone tissue.

Development of the central nervous system

At preschool age, the central nervous system continues to develop. Preschoolers are quickly excited, unable to concentrate on one lesson for a long time, inattentive. Toddlers quickly get bored with monotonous tasks, and their movements are more chaotic than thoughtful.

Despite their apparent activity, preschoolers quickly get tired as the end of the day approaches. This is due to the instability of the child, who quickly changes activities, without pauses moving from too active games to those requiring attention and concentration. Increased activity is a consequence of the mobility of the nervous system. Parents need to remind their kids to take regular rest for at least 10 minutes.

Useful recommendations for parents

It can be noted that most of the indicators of the body of a preschooler correspond to the level of development of organs in an adult. Nevertheless, it is important not to forget that a child at preschool age is not yet ready to perform serious physical exercises and his abilities are limited by the anatomical features of his age.

Professional sports for children at the age of three or four is a colossal burden that will not benefit their health. It is important to choose age-appropriate physical activity for kids that will contribute to physical and mental development, and not slow it down.

An excellent option for preschool children is athletics, tennis, table tennis, swimming, gymnastics.

Remember that preschoolers require special attention and care. They need proper nutrition, proper sleep and rest. In the house where the child lives, a pleasant, positive atmosphere should reign, which is necessary for the harmonious development of his nervous system.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the main feature of a preschooler is the continuity of his growth and development. Growth means an increase in the mass and length of the body, development means the improvement of systems and individual organs of the body. These processes are continuous, but sometimes occur separately from each other. If at one age the priority is given to growth processes, then at another it is already moving to development processes, and this is normal. It is due to these processes that age differences in preschoolers can be determined.

Physical development of the child – features of the physical development of preschool children

Physical education is necessary for a person at any age. But it is in childhood that it plays an important role in the development of the child. Physical activity is useful not only for physical, but also for neuropsychic development, and is also of great importance for the formation of such qualities of character as determination, concentration and the ability to overcome oneself.

Before you figure out what kind of physical activity should be given to a child in accordance with age, it is necessary to understand what is the difference in the physiology of preschoolers and first graders. After all, the age from 5 to 7–8 years is a period of intensive development of all organs and systems, including the musculoskeletal system.

It is before school that the following changes occur in the body of a child at the age of 5–6 years:

• musculoskeletal system: change in body proportions, active growth of limbs, final formation of spinal curves, active muscle growth;
• respiratory system: completion of the formation of the structure of the lungs;
• cardiovascular system: active development towards greater endurance, pulse stabilization;
• nervous system: improvement of the processes of regulation of organs and systems, which is accompanied by the development of motor skills. Movements become clearer, reaction speed increases. The vestibular apparatus develops, the child is able to maintain balance longer.

At the age of 7–8 years, the above organs and systems continue their development. Motor activity, endurance, physical performance improve. The mental load increases, mental processes become more complicated, which means that the need not only to increase physical activity increases, but to make it more balanced and focused on different muscle groups and the formation of certain motor skills.

Find out the level of preparation of the child for school

Small but smart

Based on the characteristics of the formation and development of the physiology of the child in different age periods, a different approach is required in the organization of physical education.

As experience shows, it is by the age of 6–7 years that the level of physical development of a preschooler shows what kind of physical training he received from early childhood. And if not enough, before school there is time to take care of the physical health of the child with the help of simple physical exercises.

At the same time, one should not forget that the complexity of exercises and the intensity of physical activity for preschool children and for first graders should be different.

When doing physical education with children 5-6 years old, the following aspects should be taken into account:

• classes are held daily, possibly in several approaches,
• session duration is 25-30 minutes,
• after difficult exercises, a break of 30 seconds must follow,
• a set of exercises should include 6-12 exercises,
• exercises should not be repeated more than 2-6 times,
• exercises should be varied and differ in the starting position of the body.

It is obligatory for children to participate in sports games using a ball, rope, hoop.

Parents of first graders should be aware that physical activity for children aged 7–8 years must be increased. It means that:

• session lasts 35–40 minutes,
• classes are held daily,
• complex consists of 10-14 exercises,
• exercises are done 8-10 times.

Outdoor games with a ball, jump rope, as well as roller skating, skiing, and ice skating are held after school.

Physical preparation for school

The physical education of the baby is often not given importance in preparation for the first grade. And not because parents do not pay attention to the physical development of their son or daughter. But not all children are able to set sports records and even just meet the standards. And what to do if the child is so “unsportsmanlike”?

According to the Federal State Educational Standard (FSES), the subject results of mastering the main educational program of primary general education in physical culture should reflect:

1. Formation of initial ideas about the importance of physical culture for strengthening human health (physical, social and psychological), about its positive impact on human development (physical, intellectual, emotional, social), about physical culture and health as factors of successful learning and socialization .
2. Mastering the skills to organize health-saving life activities (daily routine, morning exercises, recreational activities, outdoor games, etc.).
3. Formation of the skill of systematic monitoring of one’s physical condition, the magnitude of physical activity, health monitoring data (height, body weight, etc.), indicators of the development of basic physical qualities (strength, speed, endurance, coordination, flexibility), including preparation for performance standards of the All-Russian physical culture and sports complex “Ready for work and defense” (TRP).

It is important to do everything so that first-graders do not experience discomfort from doing physical exercises in physical education classes. And this is possible with the right approach of the teacher in accordance with well-organized physical education classes at school. This opportunity is provided by the “Primary School of the 21st Century” program, which is aimed at an individual approach to each child and provides opportunities for classes for different groups of students in the most comfortable mode for them.

It is important to note that all the standards of the school program of physical education lessons are strictly regulated and include the performance of exercises for dexterity, strength, endurance, and flexibility.

What exactly should a physical education teacher teach first graders at school:

• run – 30 meters,
• cross – 1 kilometer,
• long jump,
• throwing stuffed and small balls,
• jumping rope,
• hanging and lying pull-ups.

It should be noted here that the child will be asked to perform the same exercises when passing the TRP standards.

Children perform the task with great interest and desire, if you bring a game element to the lesson.

We train at home

As a rule, in preschool institutions, children are given good physical training aimed at developing basic sports skills and qualities. At home, you can also use simple exercises to prepare for school workloads. The main thing to remember is that children perform the task with great interest and desire, if you bring a game element into the lesson.

A soft rug with a fun pattern will also draw your baby’s attention to physical education.

Many exercises offered to children in gymnastics already have fun game names, for example:

• “Butterfly”: sitting on the floor, the child bends his knees and spreads to the sides.
• “Book”: standing on his feet, the child leans forward, trying to reach the floor with his hands.
• “Ring”: lying on his stomach, the child bends his knees and wraps his arms around them.
• “Stump”: lying on his back, the child throws his straight legs over his head.
• “Cat”: standing on all fours, the child arches his back up and down.
• “Bicycle”: lying on his back, the child makes foot movements that imitate cycling.

In addition to gymnastic exercises indoors, there are outdoor games that are useful for both children and parents: ball games – volleyball, basketball, football, in winter – bandy; badminton, tennis, jumping rope.