Promoting physical activity during early childhood

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents from low‐income families in the USA has become a significant concern over the last 20 years. One of the major contributors to this problem is the lack of physical activity. The purpose of this paper is to describe initiatives designed to: (1) engage young children in physical activity during professional preparation of physical educators, and (2) assist classroom teachers in providing quality physical activity experiences in their daily lessons. Children from a local preschool were brought to a university campus to participate in a 60‐minute physical activity programme. Fundamental motor skills and movement concepts were the basis of the instruction in this programme. In addition, university instructors provided preschool classroom teachers from the community with the basic knowledge of the ABCs of movement skills. Classroom teachers received information about how to include physical activity in their lesson planning on a daily basis.

Keywords:

• preschool children
• physical activity
• fundamental motor skills
• Head Start children
• early childhood physical education