Physical Education

Synonyms in the broadest sense

Movement kindergarten, movement at pre-school age, movement coordination

Introduction

The following information serves the development of movement in infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Movement at this age must be clearly differentiated from movement in childhood. The primary aim of physical education is to promote the independence and social behaviour of the child.

In the foreground are self-competence, professional competence and social skills. The following didactic principles must be considered: In addition to the development of coordinative skills, the infants should gain physical experience, self-awareness, sensory experience, social experience and material experience. – Child conformity

  • Openness
  • Voluntariness
  • Decision-making options
  • Experience-oriented
  • Self-acting

Methodology and dealing with young children

The tasks must always be set in a childlike manner. The children must not be given the feeling that they are overwhelmed by the task. Independent trial and error must lead to a solution so that the children get the feeling that they have solved the task themselves.

This is about correcting and improving the background, but more importantly about the perception of the environment and the targeted training of cooperation with children who are playing along. Especially recommended are movement landscapes, where the small children can live out their creativity and imagination. Independence, initiative and cooperative behaviour are especially trained.

The small children should always bring their own ideas to the movement landscape. The method of teaching should be mainly supervised by the children at this age. Teaching and instructing behaviour only if children explicitly want to learn a skill.

This results in the following principles for the design of movement education: If possible, the teaching should always take place in age-heterogeneous classes, so that younger children learn from older children and older children help the younger ones. In addition, older children are relieved of competitive pressure. An authoritarian or laissez-faire style of education should be avoided at all costs.

A socially integrative style of education, on the other hand, promotes the creative activities of the children. The educator should treat the children with respect and consideration. A non-judgmental and non-directive behaviour is a prerequisite for the upbringing of small children. This topic might also be of interest to you: Theory of Movement

  • Dose the novelty content of the movement
  • Provoking signs of adaptation
  • Change of tasks and levels of difficulty
  • Taking advantage of the favourable conditions
  • Connecting the game to the goal
  • Open planning and preparation, but leave room for the children’s ideas and wishes
  • Trying out and guided practice should take place alternately

Physical education in early childhood development

Especially children in early childhood development benefit from physical education. Motor skills and fine motor skills are learned over a period of several years, so it is important to assess the level of development and promote it accordingly. In addition to motor skills, children in early childhood also develop their sensory abilities.

They benefit from exercises that address different areas, such as seeing, hearing and feeling. Paediatricians can determine possible developmental disorders, both motor and neurological abnormalities, based on age and developmental status in early childhood. Although there are clues as to which skills have already been learned at a certain age, this is also an individual process depending on predisposition and encouragement. This topic might also be of interest to you: U-examinations