Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is important throughout a person’s entire life. Developing strong bodies and a healthy attitude toward physical fitness starts during early childhood years. For young children it is important to maintain a healthy weight, grow strong bones and muscles, sleep well, have a readiness to learn in school, and develop positive self esteem and self-images (Mojica, n.d.)
Motor skills, both gross motor and fine motor are developed during preschool years. Gross motor are locomotive skills that move the body form one place to another. Incorporating activities into the preschool curriculum that require movements like, running, jumping and climbing will help young children develop muscles required for balance and coordination. Activities like hopscotch, soccer and climbing gyms encourages the development of these large muscles. The more a child participates in these activities the better they become because their muscles are developing with practice.
Fine motor skills would include any physical activity that involves the manipulation of objects. Manipulations require the use of small muscles like the ones in the hand. Preschool activities like writing, cutting, painting and puzzles encourage the development of these muscles. Learning centers that provide opportunities to practice controlling small objects like pencil and paintbrushes help develop the small muscles in the fingers. Some painting activities can be done using cotton swabs instead of paintbrushes. The smaller the object the more the grip control is perfected. Eye and hand coordination are also developed during small motor activities.
There has been a dramatic increase in childhood obesity. American society has become obesogenic, characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and physical inactivity (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Excessive sugar, empty calories and fats, coupled with insignificant physical activity has caused larger numbers of children to become overweight. Without the balance of calorie intake and physical activity a child can experience weight gains that have negative consequences. Obese children experience chronic health problems, like heart disease and diabetes. These serious illnesses usually follow them into their adult lives. They usually experience psychological problems of low self- esteem and poor self-images. These social disadvantages increase the possibility of societal ridicule as an adult. It also increases the likelihood of continued poor choices in their lives.
Educating children about physical fitness should be a collaborative effort of parents, teachers and administrations. Promoting good health is the responsibility of all adults responsible for their care if we hope to see childhood obesity statistics change. Policy and environmental change initiatives that make healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity available, affordable, and easy will likely prove most effective in combating obesity (Center for Disease Control and Prevention).
Early childhood professionals have the legal and moral responsibility to provide these opportunities for the children in their care. Teachers can provide environments, indoors and outdoors, that promote childrens physical development. They can also find creative ways of integrating physical activities into traditional non-physical times like reading a story. It’s easy to get preschoolers to moving, just ask the to pretend…(Rupnow, Morian, 2009). By being a role model of positive health choices, and working closely with parents, teachers can help ensure the number of obese children in our nation will start to decline.