List of Developmentally Appropriate Physical Education Practices for Children

There are many physical benefits that children gain from physical activity. These include disease prevention, safety, injury avoidance and increased mental health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children accumulate at least 60 minutes of physical activity on all or most all days of the week. Physical education is needed during elementary and secondary education for proper development and is unique to the school curriculum as the only program that provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills.

Preschool

• Bubbles provide physical activity for preschoolers.

  Preschool physical education releases energy, builds muscle strength, coordination and flexibility. Physical activity can also help develop gross motor skills essential to a young child's development. Activities well suited for preschoolers include: throwing and catching games with balls or beanbags; jumping, hopping and balancing on one foot; and learning balance and coordination by walking on low beams or lines marked on the floor. Preschoolers can also learn hand-eye coordination by chasing after bubbles and popping, or clapping, the bubbles between the hands.

Kindergarten to Second Grade

• In the early elementary grades, the physical education program emphasizes the development of fundamental locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills. Locomotor Skills are defined as the act or power of moving from one place to another by walking, running, hopping, skipping, jumping, leaping, sliding and galloping. Parachutes can be used for stretching and upper body strength. Moving the parachute up and down to music can help establish rhythm. Muscular strength and endurance can be improved by jumping rope and throwing, catching and kicking balls will help with coordination.

Third to Sixth Grade

• Fitness and exercise are introduced during elementary school.

  The upper grade levels in elementary schools focus on two aspects: skills and fitness. The curriculum requires children to work on ball handling fundamentals, striking fundamentals, kicking fundamentals, tossing and throwing fundamentals, rope climbing, tag games, and a variety of games that encourage specific skills and energy. Children are also introduced to regular fitness and cardiovascular health. Sit-ups, push-ups, chin-ups and running circuits can be used to teach and encourage fitness throughout the year. By sixth grade, students can be introduced to a new team sport each month where the focus is placed more on sportsmanship and cooperation than skill levels. Other practices include aerobic games and chasing and fleeing games.

Middle School

• Middle school physical education exposes students to a lifestyle that includes sportsmanship, health/fitness knowledge and continued skill development. Fitness is also a daily theme and students participate in a variety of fitness activities including cardiovascular fitness, strengthening, flexibility and agility. Students continue learning team sports and skills. Some particular sports that can be taught to middle school students are soccer, volleyball, flag football, basketball and track and field.