1. ACTIVE PLAY
1.1. IN PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS
1.1.1. Active play allows children to develop physically, by promoting gross and fine motor skills; socially, by supporting peer interaction; and cognitively, by allowing children to use problem-solving and investigation skills. (Dinkel, D., Synder, K., Patterson, T., Warehime, S., Kuhn, M., Wisneski, D. (2019)
1.2. CHILD-INITIATED PLAY
1.2.1. Child-initiated play influences the child's self-image and self-control, encouraging them to be active participants. (Hargraves, V., The Education Hub. (2019).
2. BENEFITS OF MOVEMENT Zero to Three. (2004).
2.1. INTELLECTUAL
2.1.1. Physical Activities stimulate the connection between the mind and the body. Children learn problem-solving skills as they try different actions.
2.2. SOCIAL
2.2.1. Relationships with the people we love are nurutred through our physical experiences with them.
2.3. PHYSICAL
2.3.1. Using their bodies to explore and communicate provides the exercise babies, toddlers and preschoolers need to grow strong, healthy bodies.
2.4. LANGUAGE
2.4.1. Movement is an essential means of communication and is one of the earliest ways in which children express their thoughts and feelings.
3. STAGE DEVELOPMENT THEORIES. Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (2018).
3.1. 0-4 MONTHS
3.1.1. - Moves whole body - Squirms, arms wave, legs move up and down - Responds to gentle touching, cuddling and rocking - Able to lift head and chest when laying on stomach - Begins to roll from side to side - Starts reaching to swipe at dangling objects - Able to grasp object put into hands
3.2. 4-8 MONTHS
3.2.1. - Plays with feet and toes - Makes crawling movements when lying on stomach - Rolls from back to stomach - Reaches for and grasp objects, using one hand to grasp - Crawling movements using both hands and feet
3.3. 8-12 MONTHS
3.3.1. - Raises self to sitting position - Sits without support - Stands by pulling themselves up using furniture - Successfully reach out and grasp toy - Picks up and throws small objects - Mature crawling - Uses hand to feed self
3.4. 1-2 YEARS
3.4.1. - Walks, climbs and runs - Legs wide and hands up for balance with small steps - Dances in place to music - Kicks and throws a ball - Squat to pick up an object - Can drink from a cup
3.5. 2-3 YEARS
3.5.1. - Walks, runs, climbs, kicks and jumps easily - Uses one step at a time - Catches ball rolled to them - Walks into a ball to kick it - Attempts to balance on one foot - Avoids obstacles
3.6. 3-5 YEARS
3.6.1. - Hops, jumps and runs with ease - Climbs steps with alternating feet - Gallops and skips by leading with one foot - Attempts to catch a ball with hands - Climbs playground equipment - Independently cuts paper with scissors - Walks and runs more smoothly
4. MEANING MAKING AND MOVEMENT
4.1. Meaning making refers to how children understand their worlds, generate knowledge, form consequential relationships, assign value and encounter the spaces where they learn with moving.
4.1.1. SELF
4.1.1.1. Children in public spaces create self-identity and that is relationally constructued by movement through place. (Clement, S., & Banamia, S. (Hosts), (n.d.).
4.1.1.2. Movement constitutes and creates places through exploration. (Clement, S., & Banamia, S. (Hosts), (n.d.).
5. IMPLEMENTATION IN CENTRES
5.1. TYPES OF PLAY
5.1.1. UNSTRUCTURED PLAY
5.1.1.1. Unstructured play provides children with opportunities to create their own sensory experiences in various play environments, as well as also providing opportunities for improvement of physical and social competencies by playing with peers on a variety of surfaces and structures. (Dinkel, D., Synder, K., Patterson, T., Warehime, S., Kuhn, M., Wisneski, D. (2019).
5.1.2. STRUCTURED PLAY
5.1.2.1. Structured play may take place at set times, have set rules and need special equipment, which limits children's exploration and freedom.
5.1.3. PLAY-BASED LEARNING
5.1.3.1. Play-based learning allows for the expression of personality and uniqueness, and offers opportunities for multimodal play to enhance thinking skills and lifelong learning. (Australian Government Department of Education. (2022).
5.2. EQUIPMENT
5.2.1. FINE MOTOR SKILLS
5.2.1.1. Picking up crayons, pouring water into a funnel, connecting building blocks together, using cutlery, musical instruments
5.2.2. GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
5.2.2.1. Kicking a soccer ball, crawling through a tunnel, climbing up a ladder, marathons, balancing beams, hopscotch
6. FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS
6.1. LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
6.1.1. A locomotor skill includes jumping which is the action of pushing off with both feet and landing with both feet. (NSW Health. (2017). crawling, walking, running, jumping, galloping and hopping.
6.2. STABILITY SKILLS
6.2.1. Stability skills are movements where the body remains in place but moves around its horizontal and vertical axis. (NSW Health. (2017). stretching, bending, twisting and balancing.
6.3. MANIPULATIVE SKILLS
6.3.1. The two-handed catch is a manipulative skill that involves receiving an object. (NSW Health. (2017). throwing, catching, kicking and striking a stationary ball.
7. PHYSICAL MOVEMENT
7.1. LATERALITY
7.1.1. Children must develop an understanding that the body is composed of two sides. (Play and Playground Encyclopedia. (n.d.).
7.2. DIRECTIONALITY
7.2.1. Helps children to understand the space around them and the relationship of things in that space. (Play and Playground Encyclopedia. (n.d.).
7.3. CROSSING THE MIDLINE
7.3.1. A child's body part crosses over spontaneously to the other side of the body to complete a task, improving coordination and fine motor skills. (Addie’s AutismFITT Club. (2015).
7.4. LABAN MOVEMENTS
7.4.1. Laban categorises movement by elements of Effort or Dynamics, which take into account the way a person performs an action and their intention in doing so. - Space - Time - Weight - Flow (UX Matters. (2010).
7.5. BALANCE SKILLS
7.5.1. Physical activity improves balance, movement and coordination skills. A: Agility B: Balance C: Coordination (Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2021).
8. ENVIRONMENT
8.1. INDOOR PLAY
8.1.1. SPONTANEOUS PLAY
8.1.1.1. A form of creative play which gives children freedom of choice.
8.1.2. INTENTIONAL PLAY
8.1.2.1. Planned play which may have set times, rules and special equipment.
8.1.3. ACTIVE TRANSPORT
8.1.3.1. Using physical activity to travel.
8.2. OUTDOOR PLAY
8.2.1. Outdoor play allows children to develop physically, by promoting gross and fine motor skills; socially, by supporting peer interaction; and cognitively, by allowing children to use problem-solving and investigation skills. Tiime to play outdoors should be provided to childeen daily to practice and exercise their physical skills. (EYAlliance. (2018).
8.2.2. Risk-initiated play is something that children choose to interact with and need to thrive in an outdoor environment. (Boston Children’s Museum. (2016).
8.2.3. SITUATED, LOCAL AND PLACE-BASED
8.2.3.1. Our relationship to place is constituted in stories (and other representations); the body is at the centre of our experience of place; and place is a contact zone of cultural contact. (Somerville M. (2007).
8.2.3.2. Children are capable of noticing and responding to coloniality and injustice and therefore are capable of learning through the world. (Zero to Three. (2004).
9. EDUCATOR ROLE
9.1. INTENTIONAL TEACHING
9.1.1. Engaging in intentional teaching that is deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful. (Salamon, A. (2011).
9.2. SAFETY
9.2.1. When does the need for safety override the need for exploration? Risks are something that a child is aware of and chooses to interact with whereas a hazard is something that a child is not aware of. (Boston Children’s Museum. (2016).
9.3. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY POLICIES
9.3.1. Each early childhood centre should have an active play and physical activity policy which confirms to their commitment that children should engage in a range of child-initiated and adult-guided physical activities, promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle and provide opportunities for challenging and stimulating active play every day. (Bethany Kindergarten Services. (n.d.).
10. CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS
10.1. VICTORIAN EARLY YEARS AND DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
10.1.1. The vision and purpose of the VEYLDF is to guide early childhood professionals in a collective effort with families toward the achievement of the nationally agreed Early Years Learning Outcomes. (Department of Education and Training. (2016).
10.1.1.1. - Having a strong sense of identity - Are connected with and contribute to their world - Have a strong sense of wellbeing - Are confident and involved learners - Are effective communicators
10.2. NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS
10.2.1. National Quality Standards include 7 quality areas that are important outcomes for children. (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2020).
10.2.1.1. 1. Educational program and practice 2. Children’s health and safety 3. Physical environment 4. Staffing arrangements 5. Relationships with children 6. Collaborative partnerships with families and communities 7. Governance and leadership
10.3. BELONGING, BEING AND BECOMING
10.3.1. The aim of Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Framework for Australia is to support early childhood providers, teachers and educators to extend and enrich children's learning from birth to 5 years and through the transition to school. (Australian Government Department of Education. (2022).
10.3.1.1. Belonging
10.3.1.1.1. Belonging acknowledges children's interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities.
10.3.1.2. Being
10.3.1.2.1. Being recognises the significance of the present, as well as the past in children's lives.
10.3.1.3. Becoming
10.3.1.3.1. Becoming reflects this process of rapid and significant change that occurs in the early years as children learn and grow.