EDEC5008: Health, Safety and

Physical Education in Early

Childhood - Study Period 4, 2025

Dr Geraldine Lane UC COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Copyright Regulation 1969 WARNING This material has been copied and communicated to you by or on behalf of Curtin University of Technology pursuant to Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) The material in this communication may be subject to copyright under

theAct. Any further copying or communication of this material by you

may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act. Do not remove this notice Acknowledgement of Country Curtin University acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future traditional custodians and

elders of the Nation’s First Peoples and continuation of their cultural, spiritual and educational practices.

We

pay particular respect to the traditional owners of the land on which our Bentley campus is located, the Wadjuk

people of the Noongar nation. Remember that all

children will develop at

their own pace, and it

is our job to help them

to develop the

necessary skills as they

grow Gabbard p245 Reflexes Refer to Gabbard pp 238 – 278 for a thorough

exploration of reflexes and early development Reflexes are involuntary movement reactions

elicited by sensory stimuli such as sound, light,

touch, body position etc They are controlled primarily by the subcortical

areas which are also responsible for numerous

involuntary, life sustaining processes such as

breathing and heart rate The body’s initial movement responses are

controlled in the subcortical areas due to the

maturational state of the central nervous system  For the first 6 months to one year, the

human organism is essentially a reflex

machine that undergoes a continuous

process of neuromuscular functional

maturation  As the nervous system matures, reflexes

come under the command of the brain

stem and midbrain  Eventually, voluntary motor behaviour

takes over  However, some reflexes such as coughing,

blinking and sneezing persist throughout life

Terms used in PE  Cephalocaudal Law – {pronounced SEFFA-LOW-COR-DAL}– development from

head to feet {think development of baby}  Proximodistal Law –{pronounced prox-I - mo - dis – till } development from centre

of body to extremities  Gross Motor Development: development and coordination of large muscles of

arms, legs, chest, back and abdominals. Gross Motor Skills are also fundamental

movement skills.  Fine Motor Development: development and coordination of fingers, toes, hands,

eyes(muscles) and face. Motor Development in Early Childhood (Birth–8 Years) What is motor development? Why it matters in early childhood Birth to 8 years: a critical window Types of

Motor

Development Gross motor skills Fine motor skills Perceptual–motor

integration Motor Development from Birth to 2 Years •Reflexive movements •Postural control •Early locomotion and object manipulation Physical Development –

Gross Motor

Fine Motor Motor Development from 2 to 5 Years RAPID IMPROVEMENT IN

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS INCREASING FINE

MOTOR CONTROL EXPLORATION THROUGH

PLAY

Motor Development from 5 to 8 Years  Between five and eight years, children consolidate and refine fundamental

movement skills, including locomotor skills (running, hopping), object-control skills

(throwing, catching), and stability skills (balancing, twisting). These skills form the

foundation for participation in games, sports, and physical activity across the

lifespan. Fine motor skills become more precise, supporting writing, drawing, and

classroom tasks. Competence in motor skills is strongly linked to confidence, peer

interaction, and engagement in school learning. Expected Gross Motor Dev 7 – 8 YEARS  Safely performing a forward roll  Running smoothly with arms, opposing legs and a narrow base of support (feet not too far apart)  Running around obstacles while maintaining balance  Stepping forward with leg on opposite side as throwing arm when throwing a ball  Kicking a soccer ball with reasonable accuracy  Kicking a football with reasonable accuracy and consistency  Jumping over an object and landing on both feet together  Catching a small ball using hands only  Developing a mature pattern of throwing, kicking and striking  Know left and right  Standing and maintaining balance on one foot  Using a skipping rope  Hopping on one foot  Riding a bike 9 - 12 YEARS  Increased stamina, body strength and hand dexterity  Enjoy team games  Able to swim  Show increased body awareness and self-perception  Show increased awareness of own physical skills  Improved reaction time (think crossing roads)  Females are up to two years ahead of males in physical maturity Physical Skill

Acquisition Begins with Spatial Awareness

 Spatial awareness allows us to be conscious of the things in

our environment as well as our position relative to them.  Having spatial awareness can inform you of how people

and objects move through the environment. This can help

you navigate your surroundings.

 Children in the first year of schooling have limited spatial

awareness so they need to experience different situations

and activities to develop the awareness. Physical Skill Acquisition Then moves to Body Awareness o Body awareness is a person’s understanding of

their own body parts and their capability of

movement o Teachers can play lots of different body

games to get an insight into a student’s body

awareness Physical Skill

Acquisition And then there is Motor Memory…  The ability to visually and aurally copy single

movements, movement patterns and rhythmic

patterns

Fine Motor Skills o Involve the use of the smaller muscles of the

hands, commonly in activities like using pencils,

scissors, construction, doing up buttons and

opening lunch boxes o Fine motor skill efficiency significantly influences

the quality of the task outcome as well as the

speed of task performance o Efficient fine motor skills require a number of

independent skills to work together to

appropriately manipulate the object or perform

the task. Factors

Influencing

Motor

Development Biological

and

neurological

maturation Importance of Motor Development in Early Childhood Education EYLF OUTCOME 3:

WELLBEING COGNITIVE, SOCIAL,

AND EMOTIONAL LINKS LIFELONG PHYSICAL

ACTIVITY Supporting

Motor

Development:

Educator

Practice Intentional movement

experiences Play-based and

inclusive strategies Observation and

support

What should I

generally be able

to observe/expect

from an ‘average’

5 year old

student?

Ideally, children should participate in 60 minutes of

continuous activity. However, for both older

children and toddlers the daily amount of activity

can be split up throughout the day.

For example, two 30-minute segments or four 15- minute segments for children is still beneficial.

Setting up effective activities and experiences both indoors and outdoors… Classroom practices: Intentional Planning of

Movement Opportunities  Effective motor development does not occur by chance. Early childhood teachers

intentionally plan daily opportunities for movement across routines, play, and learning

experiences.  Key practices include:  Embedding movement across the day, not just during “outdoor play”  Planning both structured (guided activities) and unstructured (free play) movement  Ensuring progression from simple to more complex motor skills  Repeating experiences to support mastery and confidence Creating Rich

Indoor and

Outdoor

Environments The physical environment plays a critical role

in supporting motor development. Effective classroom environments: Provide open-ended equipment (balls, hoops,

scarves, blocks, balance equipment) Offer varied surfaces (grass, mats, ramps, soft

play, uneven ground) Include spaces for large movements indoors

as well as outdoors Allow children to move freely, safely, and

independently Promoting

Gross Motor

Development

Through Play Teachers support gross motor development by designing play

experiences that encourage whole-body movement. Examples include: Obstacle courses for climbing, crawling, balancing, and

jumping Music and movement activities (dance, action songs, rhythm

games) Ball play to develop throwing, catching, kicking, and striking Outdoor play that includes running, riding, climbing, and

chasing games Supporting

Fine Motor

Development

in Everyday

Learning Fine motor development is embedded in daily

classroom activities, not limited to writing tasks. Effective practices include: Providing tools such as tweezers, peg boards,

threading beads, playdough Encouraging drawing, painting, cutting, and

collage activities Supporting self-help skills (zips, buttons, utensils) Offering varied writing and mark-making tools

before formal handwriting Using Play- Based and

Child-Led

Approaches Play-based learning is central to motor

development in early childhood. Teachers: Follow children’s interests to extend

movement opportunities Allow children to repeat movements and

experiments at their own pace Encourage problem-solving through physical

challenges Avoid over-directing or correcting movement

excessively Inclusive and

Differentiated

Practice Inclusive practice ensures that all children can

participate meaningfully in movement experiences. Teachers promote inclusion by: Adapting equipment size, weight, or height Modifying rules or expectations Providing alternative ways to engage in movement

tasks Using strengths-based language and encouragement Collaborating with families and allied health

professionals when needed Observation,

Assessment,

and

Responsive

Teaching Teachers continuously observe children’s motor

development to inform practice. Effective strategies include: Observing movement during natural play rather than

formal testing Noting confidence, coordination, balance, and

engagement Identifying emerging skills and areas requiring support Adjusting environments and experiences based on

observations Assessment is formative and supports planning rather

than labelling. Embedding

Motor

Development

Across the

Curriculum Motor development supports learning across all

domains. Teachers integrate movement by: Using movement to support literacy (action stories, letter

formation through movement) Incorporating maths through spatial awareness and

body movement Supporting social skills through cooperative physical

play Linking movement to wellbeing, self-regulation, and

emotional development This holistic approach reflects the interconnected

nature of learning in early childhood. Summary  Early childhood teachers promote

motor development through

intentional planning, play-based

learning, inclusive environments, and

responsive teaching. By embedding

movement across the daily program

and valuing diverse developmental

pathways, educators support

children’s physical competence,

confidence, wellbeing, and lifelong

engagement in physical activity. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING 51作业君版权所有