• Transcript

  (The sound of children laughing and music)

  (Child playing with objects on the floor)

  Child narrator: When I move, I’m learning what my body can do. Do you see how I challenge myself to move in new ways?

  (Child climbing on outdoor equipment)

  Child narrator: Do you let me fly?

  (Tamariki playing outside with kaiako in games and on equipment)

  Adult narrator: When tamariki engage in physical play, they learn about their physical bodies and space in a holistic way.

  In this video we look at the fundamental movement skills tamariki develop, and how kaiako can support them.

  From birth, tamariki intuitively start to extend their control over their bodies – playing, gaining agility and coordination, and pushing the boundaries of past efforts.

  (Kaiako speaking to camera)

  Kaiako: We have the space to redesign it every day, based on which children are in there and where their abilities are at.

  (Infants crawling on low outdoor equipment)

  Kaiako: We don't put them into positions that they can't get into or out of themselves. So it's about allowing them the chance to have that moment, "Oh I did it. I finally got to roll over.”

  Or, “I got my leg out of between these two bars by myself.” And that moment when they go, "Hey, I  did that. You didn't need to rescue me."

  (Tamariki climbing and playing outside)

  Adult narrator: As tamariki grow older they continue to challenge themselves physically, building their image of themselves as courageous, exploratory, confident, and successful.

  (Kaiako speaking to camera)

  Kaiako: Most of them take risks and sometimes we have to support them. Not to intervene, but to support them in what they are trying to do.

  (Tamariki engaged in indoor and outdoor physical activities including singing and dancing)

  Adult narrator: Kaiako can intentionally prepare for informal opportunities to encourage tamariki to develop fundamental movement skills.

  Stability skills relate to our body's ability to gain or maintain balance when still or moving. They involve learning about how the body responds to gravity. Learning to sit, stand, balance, bend, stretch, and reach.

  Learning to walk, hop, jump, or dance. Consider the stability skills required for waiata, haka, pese ma siva or other cultural dances.

  Locomotor skills relate to moving from one place to another, either horizontally or vertically.

  (Kaiako speaking to camera)

  Kaiako: Moving through the monkey bars allows them to build up their gross motor skills which then supports the fine motor skills.

  (Tamariki using equipment in their hands and feet to carry out activities)

  Adult narrator: Manipulative skills involve moving or using an object with our hands or feet.

  Tamariki might use balls, hoops, or bats, hammer, paintbrush, poi, rākau, or scissors.

  (Tamariki playing a variety of games together)

  Adult narrator: Movement and body awareness relates to understanding what our bodies are like, how we can move them, and where our bodies are in relation to other people or objects.

  Playing games with other tamariki develops this awareness, along with the cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of their learning.

  Promoting the physical development of tamariki requires intentional teaching strategies that foster freedom of movement, collaborative learning, the desire of tamariki to create their own challenges, and a culture of persistence and celebrating success.

This video is part of:

Kia kori tahi, Physical wellbeing in early learning