PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMME

Early Years ConferenceMarch 17 2018

Lusaka International Community School

LICS: Maximising the potential of future world citizens

GENERAL AIMS FOR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

Be able to reach out and hold objects with increasing control Be able to sit, lean forward and pick up small toys Start to use large and small equipment and begin to demonstrate competence and

coordination Be able to express themselves through action and sound Develop increasing control of the whole body and become aware of how to negotiate the

space and objects in the immediate environment Use movement to express feelings, ideas and experiences, using new combinations and

LICS: Maximising the potential of future world citizens

GENERAL AIMS FOR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

Be able to reach out and hold objects with increasing control Be able to sit, lean forward and pick up small toys Start to use large and small equipment and begin to demonstrate competence and

coordination Be able to express themselves through action and sound Develop increasing control of the whole body and become aware of how to negotiate the

space and objects in the immediate environment Use movement to express feelings, ideas and experiences, using new combinations and

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

Gross motor skills are movements that involve the use of the large muscles of the body. The development of gross motor skills starts at birth. Examples of gross motor skills include:

Running Climbing Throwing Dribbling a ball

THE IMPORTANCE OF GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

Gross motor skills enable learners to perform everyday functions, such as walking, running and skipping.

They are the building blocks to: Muscular strength Muscular endurance Motor (muscle) planning Motor learning Body awareness

LICS: Maximising the potential of future world citizens

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

0-6 months: Rolls Crawls Creeps Pulls

18 months: Walks Runs Pushes Climbs

Possible implications if milestones are not achieved:

Poor muscle development for locomotion

Delayed ability Delayed sensory development Delayed play skills

6-12 months: Walks Rolls a ball Sits

2 years: Walks without support Picks Runs with confidence

3 years: Imitates Can stand on one foot Can throw and catch a ball

LICS: Maximising the potential of future world citizens

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE GROSS MOTOR SKILLS?

Improve attention Increase core strength Simplify specific physical skills Cognitive planning Develop the underlying skillsLOCOMOTOR DEVELOPMENT

These skills help to refine a child's gross motor abilities. The more often locomotor skills are practiced, the greater the child's ability to fine tune the movement of each skill. For example, with sufficient practice a child who is able to hop in place becomes able to play hopscotch. Likewise, after simply running, a teenager is later able to compete in a relay race.

A locomotor skill is a physical action that propels an individual from one place to another. This may mean moving forward, backward, or even upwards using certain skills.

Examples of locomotor skills include: Walking or running Jumping or hopping Galloping or marching Skipping

LOCOMOTOR SKILLS

A few tips to help children learn each locomotor skill: Walking: Use smooth, straight steps with arms swinging gently in opposition of feet. Practice

different kinds of walks: low with bent legs, high on tippy toes, fast like a robot, or slow like moving through honey.

Galloping: One foot is the leader, and the other foot follows behind. Don’t forget to do both sides!

Jumping: With feet close together, push off with both feet and land on both feet. Can you make the landing quiet? How high can you jump? How many times in a row? This is a good time to try jumping rope.

Hopping: With one foot on the ground, push with toes. How fast can you hop? How slowly? Is one side harder than the other?

Side-sliding: Move sideways with one foot leading (a sideways gallop). Have your kid spread his or her arms wide and get some air in the middle of the slide.

Leaping: Go over an object leading with one foot and landing on the other. Skipping: March with knees high; each time one knee is in the air, hop on the other foot —

step/hop, step/hop, step/hop

LICS: Maximising the potential of future world citizens

SWIMMING

Is one of life’s most valuable skills Develops water safety Opens the door to one of the

most enjoyable forms of recreation and fitness.

Aims: To develop water confidence and

the learn the basic water safety rules

To develop self-confidence in all other physical activities

SWIMMING LESSON TIPS Swimming lessons for infants and toddlers should last only 15 minutes; up to 30 minutes for 3-5

year olds, and up to 45 minutes for children over 5 years old. The ratio of swim teacher to swim student should be 1:1 for learners under 5 who have not

reached swim stroke level or learnt how to tread water proficiency. Slow and steady. There is no time limit on progressing from one swim level to the next. Some

children will take longer on certain levels, and swim lessons may need to repeated, perhaps several times, until the swim student can confidently progress to the next level.

Be positive, and encourage the swim student towards short term objectives and then long term goals.

Maintain arm’s length distance at all times during swim lessons and constant focus on the swim student. Don’t allow any distractions whenever a child is around the pool.