Kids In Home-Based Day Care Lack Physical Activity

Watching tv all day?

I stumbled upon an article from The Kid's Doctor Blog on the lacking of Physical Activity in a Home-Based Day Care.

A researcher at Oregon State University surveyed about 300 home-based child-care providers who looked after children ages two to five. Though 78 percent offered more than an hour a day of active play, 41 percent said children sat for extended periods during the day, and two-thirds said the TV was on most of the day, the study found.

Another research shows that many tots watch tv for 32 hours a week (or more).

I feel sad to know the findings. There are many techonological devices for kids now. Although their cognition is sharpened once they watch tv or play computer games, it is also important to maintain an active body since one does nothing else but sit.

Engrossed with youtube

 Thus through active play, children are able to improve their gross motor and fine motor skills, that will help grow healthy and strong.
These are a few activities that you can do with your kids indoor to encourage active play.

• March! Let your tots to parade around the house. Give them pots, pans, plastic containers, and wooden spoons as musical instruments. They will love simple silly marching steps and cheers.
• Blowing bubbles: Bubbles in bottles can be bought everywhere. You blow the bubble and let them chase. Who wouldn't love bubbles?
• Dancing: Just put on your favourite tunes and dance along. :)

Active play is a cherished part of childhood that offers the children important developmental benefits and the opportunity to fully engage with our children. So let's play!

Parachute Play

You want an inexpensive toy for your kids? You want to enhance their creativity and imagination and yet you have no idea on what to do?

Well, opt for parachute play. In one of the ALIMKids Playgroup component, we let the kids play the parachute play.

Active Play

Vigorous activities for the children where they can run, jump, roll, romp and balance. They also get to play with props such as balls, bean bags, parachute play and ribbon streamers.

Parachute Play in Action:

Benefits of Parachute Play:

* Encourages cooperation - Strengthens upper torso
* Non-competitive - Differing abilities are non-issue
* Refines perceptual skills - Reinforces turn-taking/ sharing
* Develops a sense of rhythm - Requires following directions
* Promotes social interaction - Enhances language development

Other than that, parachutes are a great addition to any game session as it can be used to teach teamwork, cooperation, strength, agility, body movements, coordination, and endurance.  It encourages positive cooperative group experiences. Any group six to forty can play. 



In parachute games the focus is on playing and not winning. Enjoying the moment and the time spent together in joyous activity. There are competitive games but the players are having such a wonderful time, they simply want to get on to the next round. In parachute play everybody wins.

Playing is fun, should be fun and stress free for everybody.

source:

1.http://www.squidoo.com
2. http://www.naturalphysiques.com
3. http://www.childcarelounge.com

Toddlers: learning by playing

I found an article on why it is important to toddlers to get active. It is because they will learn a lot while playing and being active. Read the article if you want to know more about it.

:)

Encourage Activity

It might look like just child's play, but toddlers are hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination. Each new skill lets them progress to the next one, building on a foundation that leads to more complicated physical tasks, such as jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel.

Toddlers always want to do more, which can motivate them to keep trying until they acquire a new skill, no matter what it takes.

Take advantage of your toddler's natural desire to keep moving. Even at this early age, kids establish patterns of activity that carry through the rest of childhood. So an active toddler is likely to remain active later.

Developing Skills

Playing and learning are completely natural for toddlers, so mastering the skills below should be fun and games for them. Parents should give toddlers many opportunities to practice their developing skills while providing supervision so they stay safe while they learn.

In addition to these physical accomplishments, toddlers are developing in other ways. Provide opportunities for yours to explore, ask questions, use his or her imagination, and practice fine motor skills, such as stacking blocks or coloring.

Older Toddler Skills (24-36 months)

• balances 1 to 2 seconds on one foot
• climbs well
• bends over easily without falling
• runs well
• kicks ball forward
• both feet on step, up and down stairs
• starts to pedal tricycle
• throws ball over head

 How Much Activity Is Enough?

For children 12-36 months old, current National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) guidelines recommend this much daily activity:

• at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity (adult-led)
• at least 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

As a general rule, toddlers shouldn't be inactive for more than 1 hour at a time, except for sleeping. That's a lot of work for parents and caregivers, but a lot of much-needed activity for toddlers.
Encourage your toddler to be active, and remember how much he or she is learning along the way.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: May 2008

What and why: Active Play

What is active play?

Active play is physical activity with regular bursts of a moderate to vigorous pace, such as crawling, jumping, or running. Active play should raise children’s heart rate and make them ‘huff and puff’. Active play can occur:

• Indoors or outdoors
• Alone or with friends and family
• In structured settings, such as swimming lessons or sport
• In unstructured settings, such as backyards or parks.

A time for active play, everyday!

 
It is crucial for all children to be active for at least 60 minutes everyday. This time can be built up throughout the day, and includes finding time for outdoor play. Outdoor active play gives children more freedom to:

• Use large and small muscle groups
• Learn how their body moves
• Explore nature and make noise
• Move in a range of ways, directions, and paces
• Practice skills, such as skipping, hopping, or climbing.

As children grow, the time and range of chances to be active should increase. This may include slowly increasing walking and/or running distances, and building more play skills such as catching, dancing, or swimming.
The unseen riches of active play

An important part of growth is giving children the chance to be active whenever possible. Active play therefore does not always have to be organised and have set time limits, equipment, or instructions. Allowing children to ‘make up’ their own play lets them try new things, learn from their mistakes, and above all enjoy being active all whilst moving at their own pace. Active play does not just fill children’s time. It is through play that children of all ages form lifelong skills, such as:

• Decision making and problem solving skills
• Resilience
• Self-belief and self-confidence
• Independence
• Creativity and imagination
• Skills in dealing with change and the mindset to ‘keep going’.

Just as important is children’s ability to express feelings, laugh, have fun, and mix with other people. This helps to develop:

• Communication and social skills
• A sense of belonging
• An understanding of social rules
• Friendships
• A sense of ‘give and take’
• Patience
• Team work skills
• An understanding of children, such as those with disabilities or from different cultures.

Important tips for building positive active play spaces:

• Make active play part of your child’s daily routine
• Your child needs at least 60 minutes of active play each day
• Play outdoors as often as possible
• Unstructured play lets your child move at their pace
• Allow your child to ‘have a go’, explore and try new things
• Active play is vital for your child’s overall social and personal growth
• Provide praise and helpful hints
• As a parent or carer, be active in your own life.

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