1. family and parenting
2. children

Unit 3
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
introduction
If children are fit and healthy, their learning and development is encouraged and they
are more likely to be happy. In this unit, you will learn about the principles of children’s
development and how to provide for children’s physical needs. You will also learn how
to recognise when children are unwell and how to support children who have long-term
medical conditions.
Assessment: You will be assessed by a series of assignments set by your teacher/tutor.
Learning aims
After completing this unit you should:
understand the physical needs of children for growth and development
understand the role of the adult in supporting children’s physical
development
C understand the role of adults in meeting children’s physical care needs
D1 know how to recognise and respond to children who are unwell
D2 understand the role of the adult in supporting children with ongoing
health conditions.
Dr
a
ft
A
B
Some people think that working with children
is all about play. Yes, that is part of the job,
but you also have to know how to keep
children healthy and care for those with longterm medical conditions such as asthma.
Penny Tassoni
2
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
Dr
a
ft
Meeting children’s physical
development, physical
care and health needs
3
3
Unit 3 Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
BTEC
Assessment Zone
This table shows what you must do in order to achieve
a Pass, Merit or Distinction grade, and where you
can find activities in this book to help you.
Assessment criteria
Pass
Merit
Distinction
Learning aim A: Understand the physical needs of children for growth and development
3A.M1
3A.M1
Explain why it is important to children’s growth and
all-round development to provide:
• a nutritious diet
• exercise
• sleep.
Assessment practice 3.1
3A.P2
3A.P2
Explain how health impacts on a child’s physical,
cognitive, communication, language, social and
emotional development.
Assessment practice 3.1
Discuss the relationship between how children’s
physical needs are addressed and their all-round
development.
Assessment practice 3.1
ft
3A.P1
3A.P1
3B.P3
3B.P3
Dr
a
Learning aim B: Understand the role of the adult in supporting children’s physical development
Explain how different types of indoor and outdoor
activities and resources are used in early years
settings to support the physical development of
babies and children from birth up to eight years.
Assessment practice 3.2
3B.P4
3B.P4
Explain ways in which adults can provide inclusive,
risk-managed activities that support varied
physical development of children in an early years
setting.
Assessment practice 3.2
3B.M2
3B.M2
Assess the contribution of adults in an early years
setting to inclusive provision in physical activities,
using examples.
Assessment practice 3.2
3B.D1
3B.D1
Evaluate how adults can support a child’s unique
needs at different stages of their physical
development.
Assessment practice 3.2
Learning aim C: Understand the role of the adult in meeting children’s physical care needs
3C.P5
3C.P5
Explain how adults use care routines in early years
settings to support children’s physical care needs.
Assessment practice 3.3
3C.P6
3C.P6
Explain how adults in early years settings work
with parents to support children’s progression out
of nappies.
Assessment practice 3.3
4
3C.M3
3C.M3
English
Analyse the extent to which different care routines
in early years settings contribute to children’s
all-round development.
Assessment practice 3.3
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
3C.D2
3C.D2
English
Assess and make recommendations for improving
care routines.
Assessment practice 3.3
Assessment criteria
Learning aim D:
1 Know how to recognise and respond to children who are unwell
2 Understand the role of the adult in supporting children with ongoing health conditions
3D1.P7
3D1.P7
3D1.M4
3D1.M4
Describe how to recognise signs of illness in
babies and children.
Assessment practice 3.4
3D1.P8
3D1.P8
Explain procedures to follow in early years settings
when babies and children are unwell.
Assessment practice 3.4
Assess how partnership work with parents could
meet the health needs of babies and children.
Assessment practice 3.4
3D2.M5
3D2.M5
Explain how adults in early years settings support
children with:
• asthma
• eczema
• diabetes.
Assessment practice 3.5
English Functional Skills signposting
Dr
a
English
Discuss how adults in early years settings can best
support children with an ongoing health condition.
Assessment practice 3.5
Evaluate the role of the adult in early years
settings in meeting the needs of children who are
unwell and those who need ongoing support, using
examples.
Assessment practice 3.4
Assessment practice 3.5
ft
3D2.P9
3D2.P9
3D.D3
3D1.D3
How you will be assessed
This unit will be assessed by a series of internally
assessed tasks set by your teacher/tutor.
Throughout this chapter you will find assessment
practice activities that will help you work towards
your assessment. Completing these activities will
not mean that you have achieved a particular
grade, but you will have carried out useful
research or preparation that will be relevant
when it comes to your final assignment.
In order for you to achieve the tasks in your
assignment, it is important that you check
you have met all of the Pass grading criteria.
You can do this as you work your way through
the assignment.
If you are hoping to gain a Merit or Distinction,
you should also make sure that you present the
information in your assignment in the style that
is required by the relevant assessment criterion.
For example, Merit and Distinction criteria will
require you to analyse and evaluate.
The assignment set by your teacher/tutor will
consist of a number of tasks designed to meet
the criteria in the table opposite. This is likely
to consist of a written assignment but may also
include activities such as the following:
• producing a reference document for new
employees about the importance of meeting
children's physical development and physical
care needs
• providing evidence of information gained
through further reading, examples from
practice or discussion with relevant
professionals working in the sector
• using evidence from case studies or
observations to support your findings or
recommendations.
5
Getting started
Babies and children’s physical care is important to their overall development.
Make a list of five things that you think are involved in caring for children.
A Understand the physical needs of
children for growth and development
It is easy to forget that babies and children cannot
learn, relax and play if their basic physical needs
are not met. Figure 3.1 shows the physical needs of
babies and children.
Warmth/
temperature
Clothing
ft
Exercise
Sufficient
food
The physical needs
of children
Sufficient
drink
Fresh air and
sunlight
Cleanliness
Figure 3.1 The physical needs of babies and children
In addition to these basic physical needs, we also
have to think about temperature and ventilation
when providing an environment for children. Ideally,
indoors the temperature should be 18−21ºC, with
babies’ sleeping spaces at 16−18ºC.
Ventilation is important indoors to prevent airborne
illnesses and to make sure that the air is sufficiently
oxygenated.
The importance of meeting
children’s basic needs
When any of children’s physical needs are not met,
their health and development is likely to be affected.
If, for example, children are too hot or too cold, they
6
Key terms
Asthma – a long-term lung disease that inflames
and narrows the airways causing difficulty in
breathing.
Dr
a
Shelter
Sleep
may find it hard to concentrate and if they do not
have enough sunlight, they may develop rickets,
which is a bone disease. Children should also live in
good housing because when they are exposed to
damp or live in unsafe homes, they are more likely
to develop a respiratory disease such as asthma or
have accidents.
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
Respiratory disease – a condition that affects
the lungs or a person’s ability to breathe.
Rickets – a bone disease caused by lack of vitamin D.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Abraham Maslow (1908−70) was a psychologist who
was interested in understanding people’s behaviour
and motivation. He studied people who were high
achievers and came to the conclusion that it was
only possible to reach high levels of personal and
career fulfilment if other needs were met first.
Maslow showed this through a hierarchical model
similar to the one shown in Figure 3.2. The idea is
that the basic physiological needs on the bottom
layer have to be met before the next layer of needs
can be met. When Maslow’s work was published in
1943 it was influential in many areas, and notably
for large employers. Maslow’s model is useful in
reminding us that children cannot learn or benefit
from settings unless their physical and emotional
needs have been met.
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
Selfactualisation
self-fulfilment, mental stimulation,
purpose, interests, hobbies
Self-esteem
Social needs
Safety and security needs
personal worth, sense of identity,
need for respect, achievement
love, affection, friendship,
being valued, belonging
feeling safe, secure, protected
from danger, financially secure
Physical needs
food, water, shelter,
clothing, warmth
Figure 3.2 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
How health impacts on growth
and all-round development
Key terms
Malnourished – having a lack of proper nutrients.
Undernourished – having insufficient food/
nutrients.
What is a healthy diet?
It might seem easy to suggest that children should
have a healthy diet but recognising what and how
much children should eat is actually quite complex.
This is because children’s needs change according to
their age and level of activity. A good starting point
is to understand that food and drink provide us with
nutrients. A healthy diet is, therefore, one in which
children have the right balance of nutrients for their
age/stage. Nutrients are often grouped into the
following food groups:
ft
Good health is important for babies’ and children’s
all-round development. When babies and children are
poorly, they are less likely to want to play with others,
interact and explore their environment. This lack of
stimulation will, in turn, delay their cognitive and social
development as they will not be gaining new experiences
or interacting well with others. Feeling poorly also means
that babies and children are less likely to cope with the
trials and tribulations of the day and so are more likely
to have tantrums, cry or become frustrated.
UNIT 3
Dr
a
• protein – good for growth and repair of cells
• carbohydrates – good for energy
• fats – good for energy and to absorb some vitamins
• minerals – necessary for a range of different
For children of school age, taking time off school due
to illness may mean that they fall behind with learning
to read as well as other aspects of the curriculum.
For children with medical conditions, care has to be taken
to support them, because their long-term development
can be affected for the reasons just described.
The need for a nutritious diet
The development of babies and children is also
affected by what, and how much, they eat. Food and
drink intake supports the physical and brain growth
of babies and young children and also provides them
with sufficient energy to move. It, therefore, helps to
develop their physical skills. Food and drink is also
important for good health, and children who are
malnourished or undernourished are more likely to
have periods of ill-health. On the other hand, babies
and children who have too much food and drink and
insufficient exercise, even if the food is otherwise
healthy, are likely to develop health problems later in
life that are associated with being overweight, such as
heart disease.
functions, such as calcium for bone development
• vitamins – necessary for a range of different
functions, such as vitamin C for healthy skin.
Changing needs
It is important to understand that babies and young
children have different nutritional needs than adults.
Adults have larger stomachs and so proportionally,
they need less energy than babies and children. Also,
children’s nutritional needs change during childhood
and they can vary according to the child’s activity
level. When planning meals, knowing what babies and
children need at different ages is, therefore, essential.
Activity
Find out about what babies and children need
in terms of nutrition by visiting the Caroline
Walker Trust website. You can access this website
by going to www.pearsonhotlinks.co.uk and
searching for this title.
Then, create a chart that shows sample menus for
children of three different ages.
7
The role of sleep
How much sleep?
Sleep is vital to children’s health and well-being.
This is because sleep is needed for healthy brain
function and growth. It is also needed to regulate the
hormones that are responsible for growth and even
appetite. Sleep is needed for other reasons, as we
will now see.
Although children vary in how much sleep they need,
there are some useful guidelines that we can follow.
Table 3.1 shows the guidelines for children aged
3 months to 5 years.
Age
Naps
Nighttime
Total
Brain function is helped or hindered by sleep. When
children are tired they will find it harder to concentrate.
3 months
5 hours
15 hours
20 hours
Memory/learning
4–12
months
3 hours
11 hours
14 hours
1–3 years
2 hours 15
minutes
11 hours
13 hours
15 minutes
3–4 years
1 hour 30
minutes
10 hours
30 minutes
12 hours
None
10–12
hours
10–12
hours
Concentration
The immune system
ft
During sleep, the brain reviews the day’s events and
this seems to be important in terms of putting down
memories. Children who are not sleeping sufficiently
are likely to find it harder to learn because they will
not remember as much.
Controlling emotions and impulses
Young children tend to be impulsive and emotionally
labile. A lack of sleep exaggerates this and so
children who are not sleeping sufficiently are more
likely to show impulsive behaviour.
Obesity
5 years
Dr
a
Sleep plays a part in supporting the immune system.
During sleep the body repairs cells and fights
infection. Children who are not sleeping sufficiently
are more likely to have colds and other infections.
There has recently been a study into the relationship
between how long a child sleeps and their weight.
It would appear that children who are not getting
sufficient sleep run the risk of becoming overweight
and even obese.
Research
You can find out more about the latest research
into the links between childhood obesity and
sleep by looking at the FLAME study on the
British Medical Journal website. You can access
this study by going to www.pearsonhotlinks.co.uk
and searching for this title.
8
Table 3.1 How much sleep children need at different ages
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
Source: Department for Education (2010) © Crown copyright 2011
Key term
Emotionally labile – emotions that may be
strong and fluctuate quickly.
Activity
Download an early support booklet that has
been provided by the Department of Education
for parents about the importance of sleep for
children. You can access this booklet by going
to www.pearsonhotlinks.co.uk and searching for
this title.
Read the booklet and make a poster that gives
advice to parents about the importance of sleep
and bedtime routines.
Unit 3
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
Signs that a child is tired
How much exercise?
Babies and children will show us when they are tired.
Look out for the following signs:
Over the past few years, there have been
concerns that young children are not having
sufficient opportunities for vigorous exercise.
At the time of writing, the recommendation is that
young children should spend an hour over the course
of the day engaged in physical activity. This might be
by walking, running, using wheeled toys or generally
engaging in some form of play. When planning for
children’s physical activity, it is worth knowing that
young children need a stop–start approach. Their
lung and heart capacity means that they will find it
hard to maintain vigorous activity for long periods.
This is why toddlers are in and out of their pushchairs,
for example – one moment they will be sat down and
the next they will up walking or having a run about.
• irritable behaviour
• crying for no clear reason
• a lack of concentration
• dark rings around the eyes
• having tantrums or becoming whiny and
uncooperative.
Helping children to sleep
Aids
sleep
ft
You can only fall asleep when your body relaxes and
feels safe. This means that children who are tired may
find it hard to sleep in an environment that is noisy or
unfamiliar. We can help babies and children to sleep
by providing them with familiar objects such as their
own sheet or cuddly toy, and by making sure that the
environment feels calm.
Provides
stimulation
Dr
a
Develops
spatial
awareness
Helps with
appetite
The benefits
of exercise
Promotes
coordination
and skills
Develops lung
capacity
Strengthens
bones
Develops
heart function
Figure 3.3 The benefits of exercise
Assessment practice
These children all have their own beds and sheets, and an
adult will stay with them so they feel safe
The importance of exercise
Babies and children need exercise. This does
not mean formal movements or PE lessons, but
opportunities to move around or, in the case of nonmobile babies, to be able to kick and move their
arms. Figure 3.3 shows the benefits of exercise to
children’s overall development.
3.1
3A.P1
|
3A.P2
|
3A.M1
Make an information pack that shows the physical
needs that children have and why they are important
for children’s all-round development. Be sure to
include coverage of the following topics in your pack:
• how health impacts on a child’s all-round
development
• the relationship between children’s all-round
development and how their physical needs are
addressed.
9
B Understand the role of the adult
in supporting children’s physical
development
Children’s physical development is linked to the type
of environment and resources that adults provide.
This section looks at how practitioners can support
children’s physical development.
The role of observation
Go to Unit 1: Section B to find out more about
how children develop.
Key term
Key person – a practitioner who is designated
to take responsibility for a child’s emotional wellbeing by having a strong attachment with them
and a good relationship with the child’s parents.
ft
Observation plays an extremely important role
in supporting development. By looking carefully
at babies’ and children’s physical development,
we can work out what their developmental needs
are. We can also think about whether children are
showing any signs of developmental delay that
may need further investigation. For observation
to be of any use, we do need to know what typical
development looks like for most children. This means
that it is worth revising your knowledge of normative
development. We also need to talk to parents, as
children often show some aspects of their physical
development outside of the setting.
Link
Dr
a
Selecting appropriate
resources and activities
By observing children, we can also think about
other areas of their development – such as their
confidence levels and whether they are keen to try
out new experiences.
There are many different resources that can be used
to support children at different ages and stages in
acquiring skills. Choosing resources requires thought
about the ages/stages of children, and also their
interests. This is why observing children’s individual
needs is so important. Table 3.2 shows some examples
of skills that children should develop and the type of
resources that might be useful to encourage this.
Case study
The importance of observing children
Purmina is 18 months old. She loves playing with
her sit-and-ride toy. Her key person has spotted
that she is coordinating her feet movements to
push the toy along with both feet. She is also
moving quickly and knows when to stop and turn
the toy. Her key person talks to Purmina’s mother
who tells her that, at home, Purmina tries to get
on her brother’s tricycle. They agree that it is
10
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
time for Purmina to try out a simple tricycle that
requires pushing rather than pedalling, but which
she can steer.
1 Why is it important for Purmina’s key person to
observe her development?
2 Why is it helpful for the key person to talk to
Purmina’s parents?
3 How will this observation help Purmina’s
development?
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
Unit 3
Table 3.2 Examples of resources to help children practise skills
Fine motor movements 0−2 years
Fine motor movements 2−8 years
Skill
Activity
Skill
Hand
coordination:
grasping;
moving objects
from one hand
to the other
Pincer grip
• Rattles
Self-feeding
•
• Play with sensory materials such
Hand–eye
coordination
• Pointing to pictures in books
• Turning pages in books
• Self-feeding
• Baby gym
• Pop-up toys
• Playing with water
• Tweezers, pipettes
• Sewing, pegboards
Strengthening
• Routine activities that require
an active hand and a stabilising
hand preference
hand, e.g. dustpan and brush,
drying a beaker
Hand−eye
coordination
• Turning pages in books
• Self-care skills such as dressing,
eating
• Sewing
• Construction toys, e.g. Lego
• Drawing and painting
• Playing with malleable
materials, sand and water
• Junk modelling
Dr
a
ft
as gloop (from 6 months)
• Activity mat
Activity
Gross motor movements 0−2 years
Gross motor movements 2−8 years
Skill
Activity
Skill
Activity
• Baby gym
• Activity mat
• Bath time
• Playing with water
• Playing in ball pool
• Throwing soft balls
Locomotive
skills and
balance
• Climbing frames
• Running
• Obstacle courses
• Movement to music
Hand−foot
coordination
• Tricycles, bicycles, pushchairs
Strengthening
of limbs and
muscles
Locomotive
movements and
balance
• Baby swing
• Brick trolley
• Sit-and-ride toys
• Climbing frame
and other wheeled toys
requiring steering
• Ball games involving catching
and throwing
• Games such as ‘The hokey cokey’
11
that they need to moderate their speed when
doing so. Today, it is accepted that children do
need physical challenges in their environments
and opportunities to explore and experience risk
management. It is also recognised that where
settings totally eliminate risk and, therefore,
challenge for children, there is a greater likelihood
of accidents taking place because children
become bored and use toys and resources
inappropriately. Figure 3.4 shows the benefits of
providing risk and challenge in settings.
ft
Development of
gross and fine
motor skills
Greater
cognitive
stimulation
Reflect
Dr
a
How is this toy promoting the baby’s physical development?
Resources and activities
Make a list of toys, resources and activities that
your work placement uses to promote children’s
fine and gross motor movements.
Approaches to providing challenge
and helping children manage risk
Part of growing up includes learning to manage
physical risks. This may include deciding when to
cross a road or whether it is safe to climb up a ladder.
For babies and children, learning about their
environment is the first step on the way. Up until
a few years ago, there was a focus on total risk
elimination in early years and play settings. This
has now been revisited because it has been shown
that children did not benefit from this approach
– they did not learn the skills they need to keep
themselves safe. For example, children who have
not walked on an uneven surface will not know
12
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
Greater understanding
of the need to moderate
own behaviour
Greater
awareness of the
environment
Benefits of providing
opportunities for risk
and challenge
Better spatial
awareness
Figure 3.4 The benefits for children of providing
opportunities for risk and challenge in settings
Most settings have to work out how to balance risk
against their legal duty to take reasonable steps to
prevent accidents. The test of what is reasonable or
not is linked to what a ‘reasonable person’ thinks is
acceptable. This, in turn, is likely to link to the age of
the child and how significant the risk is. An example
of an unreasonable level of risk would be giving a
marble to a baby – however, it would be reasonable
to let a 6-year-old play with marbles.
Deciding on the level of risk
When deciding how much risk and challenge is
acceptable, we have to consider several factors.
The age/stage of the child
Babies and toddlers have little awareness of safety and
are very impulsive. We also know that until 18 months
or so, babies and toddlers put things in their mouths.
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
However, the majority of older children are often more
aware of their surroundings and have more self-restraint.
Risk assessment
It is important to identify the risks in order to make a
decision about what is appropriate. As part of the risk
assessment, you should consider what the physical
impact/injury for the child would be if an activity
went wrong. A slight bump or bruise is likely to be
acceptable for an older child but the possibility of
concussion or a serious wound is not.
Adult support and supervision
If adults are on hand to support children, the levels of
risk and challenge can be increased. This is because
adults can stop risky behaviours that may endanger
the child or other people in the area.
Group size and composition
When young and older children are
together and sharing the same space, it is
important to think about what resources can be
used and what activities can take place. A toddler
can easily stumble into the path of an oncoming
bicycle or football, for instance.
Portfolio building activity
CYPW
CYP 3.4, Assessment criteria 3.3
Write down a minimum of two examples of how you
have helped a child to assess and manage risk. This
could be, for example, asking children who want to
play on tricycles about the risks they may face and how
they could keep themselves and other children safe.
The importance of managing
risk in physical activities
ft
Did you know?
Unit 3
We have seen that there are many factors to take into
consideration when thinking about risk. Where we
have identified that there are potential risks involved
in an activity, it is important that we think about how
these risks can be managed. Table 3.3 shows how risk
can be managed in a range of situations.
Dr
a
Learning to manage risk is now seen as important
in children’s development, even by those involved
in child safety. Look at the vision and values of the
Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), a leading
organisation in preventing accidents involving
children. You can access the CAPT website
by going to www.pearsonhotlinks.co.uk and
searching for this title.
Table 3.3 How to manage risk in a range of situations
Situation Physical benefits
Risks
Bath time Helps babies’ fine • Danger of drowning
and gross motor
• Danger of scalding
coordination
Playing
on a
climbing
frame
Increases
confidence and
improves gross
motor movement
• Children could fall
• Children could stand
on another child’s
hands
Managing the risks
• Check water temperature
• Do not leave the baby unattended
• Have all equipment ready
• Supervise younger children
• Make sure the climbing frame is the right
height for the age/stage of the child
• Do not allow climbing when it is wet
• Limit the number of children allowed on the
climbing frame
Sewing
Helps children’s
hand–eye
coordination and
pincer grasp
• Child could swallow
a needle
• Child could prick skin
• Child could poke
• Supervise and give children advice
• Use needles that are appropriate for the
children’s ages, e.g. large blunt-ended ones
for younger children
another child in the eye • Space children out in the room
Playing
on
tricycles
Helps children’s
hand–foot
coordination
• Children could fall off
• Children could hit each
other or younger children
• Check that tricycles are appropriate for the child
• Create separate areas for riding or have rules
about where tricycles can go
13
Reflect
Toddlers aged 1 to 2 years
Managing risk
Toddlers are very active and so need opportunities to
move around.
Make a list of ways that adults in your setting
manage risk when children are engaged in
physical activities.
Table 3.5 Resources to support fine and gross motor
movements: toddlers aged 1 to 2 years
Toddlers aged 1−2 years
Fine motor movements
Gross motor movements
Heuristic play
Climbing frames
When planning the layout of a setting and specific
activities, it is important to think about covering a
range of physical skills both indoors and out. Many
resources and activities that will support fine and
gross motor movements can be set up in both
environments. Tables 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 show activities
and resources that can be used indoors and outdoors.
Mark making
Some wheeled toys –
sit-and-rides
Paint
Soft play cushions
Playing in water and sand
Throwing (beanbags
and soft balls indoors)
ft
Using the environment to
support physical development
Sensory play, e.g. gloop
Babies
Swings
Dr
a
In cold or damp weather, babies will need to be dressed
warmly but they should still spend time outdoors.
Table 3.4 Resources to support fine and gross motor
movements: babies
Babies
14
Fine motor movements
Gross motor movements
Treasure basket play
Paddling pools
Sensory play
Baby gym
Shakers
Swings
Rattles
Roll-a-ball games
Looking at books
Knock-down bricks and
beakers
Activity mat
Tree stumps to allow
babies to cruise
BTEC National Children’s Play, Learning and Development | Book 1
This child is being helped onto a climbing frame. How is the
activity helping his physical development?
Meeting children’s physical development, physical care and health needs
Unit 3
Children aged 2 to 8 years
As children develop, their need for space increases
when playing with wheeled toys or during other
vigorous activities. Some settings, such as schools, have
large indoor spaces that are helpful in this respect.
Table 3.6 Resources to support fine and gross motor
movements: children aged 2 to 8 years
Children aged 2−8 years
Gross motor movements
Construction, e.g.
block play
Parachute games
Mark making, chalking
and drawing
Moving to music
Painting
Throwing and catching
(beanbags in limited
spaces)
Role play (this may
include elements of
gross motor movements)
Soft play
Sand and water play
Circle games, e.g. ‘The
farmer’s in the den’,
‘The hokey cokey’,
musical statues
Dr
a
ft
Fine motor movements
Theory into practice
Observe what activities are available for fine
and gross motor movements in your setting.
Create a chart like the one below and fill it in to
show whether these opportunities are indoors or
outdoors.
Fine motor
movements
Indoors
Outdoors
Gross motor
movements
Indoors
Outdoors
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