Understand physical development of children

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 Assessment

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Understand physical development of children

• Understand theory and current frameworks in relation to children’s
physical development.
• Be able to implement opportunities which promote the physical
development of children.

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 Early Years Educator

Physical development of children

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 Aspects of physical development

There are many Gross motor –

using whole
different aspects limb movement
of physical e.g. throwing a
ball
development. Coordination
However some of – using more
than one skills
these can be seen Balance
at once,
in this chart on running and
holding a ball
this slide.

Locomotive Hand-eye
movements – coordination
running, e.g. pouring
skipping and water into a
crawling jug/bottle

Fine motor
movements –
holding a ball 4
Physical development stages from birth to seven years

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 Activity

• The previous slide shows you

visually the different types of
grasp, when holding a pencil.
Research the following types of
grasps and the age the child will
develop this skill:

1. Pincer grasp
2. Palmar grasp
3. Digital pronate grasp
4. Static tripod grasp
5. Dynamic tripod grasp

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The development of children’s physical skills

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 The benefits to children’s holistic learning and
development when promoting physical development.

• Holistic learning refers to the overall development of the child, rather than
a single aspect.
• Go to the Learning Hub or use your phone to scan the QR code to read
more information on physical development and a holistic approach

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Understand theory and current frameworks in
relation to children’s physical development
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 Nativist perspective

• Physical development is pre-

determined by nature
• Evidence to support this theory
includes - all babies are born 1. Development
with a set of reflexes and follows a 2. Children develop
senses that are imperative to predetermined with controlling
sequence (children their head first,
their survival.
cannot run before then downwards
• In the early 20th century they can walk)
clinical psychologist and
paediatrician Arnold Gesell
developed a theory of child
development, based on 3. Gross motor skills are
uncontrolled in the
observations of children who beginning, only as the child
followed both normal and develops does the movement
exceptional patterns of become more refined
behaviour.
• He presented three principles
of physical development, these 18
can be seen on this graph
 Environmental perspective

• To explain the rate of a child’s physical development, the nativist

perspective would support this with the differences in a child’s genetic
make-up

• In addition, the environmental perspective focuses on opportunity, for

example, if a child is given opportunity for swimming, playing football or
dancing from an early age the child would be given a greater chance at
stimulation.

• Reflect on what opportunities you were given at a young age to learn new
skills. Were you given the opportunity to play football, netball, swim, sew
or even knit?

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 The primary motor cortex is a strip of brain tissue
This graph
located in the frontal lobe. It is responsible for
demonstrates
the brain in initiating purposeful movements. These purposeful
relation to movements include everything from moving your
physical hands, arms, and legs to controlling facial
development: expressions and even swallowing motions.

Myelinisation – this begins at

birth and stops at around 12 Stimulation – the brain
years old. By 6 years old the makes new neural pathways
myelinisation of the neurons is in response to what babies
responsible for gross motor are doing
skills
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• Go to the Learning Hub, or use
your mobile phone to scan the
QR code to read more
information on:

1. What are Gross Motor Skills?

2. What is Myelin and Myelination?

3. How you can help?

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 How theoretical perspectives in relation to physical
development inform current frameworks

• Both the nativist and the environmental perspectives can be seen within the EYFS
statutory framework

• Physical development is one of the three prime areas within the Early Years
Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each prime area is divided into Early Learning Goals, for
physical development these are:
• Moving and handling - skills enabling children to show good control and
coordination in large and small movements. Children are able to handle equipment
and tools effectively, including pencils for writing.
• Health and self care - children knowing the importance of good health which
includes physical exercise and a healthy diet. Children are able to manage their own
basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the
toilet independently.

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 The nativist and environmental perspective
Nativist perspective
• This is seen within the EYFS
because all children must reach
a certain level of physical
development by the end of
their reception year
• There is a two year old
progress check and the early
years setting will check how the
child is progressing against the
three prime areas
Environmental perspective
• Within the EYFS, adults and
settings should provide
opportunities for child
development.
• There should be an opportunity
for resources to be used to
develop fine and gross motor
movements. In addition, there
should be outdoor space
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 Activity

• In the Early Years statutory framework physical development is one of the 3

prime areas of learning. There are two strands within physical development
and these are: ‘Moving & Handling’ and ‘Health & Self-care.’

• Moving and handling: children show good control and co-ordination in

large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways,
safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively,
including pencils for writing.

• Health and self-care: children know the importance for good health of
physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy
and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs
successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently.

• Make a list of activities that your setting provides to allow the children to
develop the skills identified within the above Early Learning Goals for
Moving and Handling and Health and Self Care 24
 Be able to implement opportunities which
promote the physical development of children
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 Planning opportunities for physical development

• You must consider the child’s stage of development when planning opportunities for
physical development. You should also consider:

• How much support

will the child need?
• Hand and eye-
The skill to coordination Make sure they are Adult • Will the adult offer
support or be
be development? Resources safe for their stage of support involved with the
• Gross motor development
developed movements
and space actual play? How
much space is
needed?

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• Make a list of the
activities that would
develop the fine
and gross motor
skills for:

1. 0-1 year 11 months

2. 2-2 years 11 months
3. 3-5 years.

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 Providing opportunities that promote physical
development

1. 0-1 year 11 months – remember to think about how tired a baby quickly
becomes. Provide adequate time for the activity, this age range can quickly
lose interest.

2. 2-2 years 11 months – remember they may refuse help, they try to become
independent. There is little awareness of danger so adults have to be extra
cautious.

3. 3-5 years – be patient and talk to children about dangers and risks when
playing with toys, especially wheeled toys. You may also have to manage
poor or disruptive behaviour.

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 Reflect on own role in relation to the provision for
promoting physical development in own setting.

• Use these questions to reflect on own role in relation to the provision for
promoting physical development in own setting:

Do you observe and

assess children’s stages of Is there a wide range of
development? How resources and activities to How sensitive are you
accurate are you in your cover many skills and when supporting children?
observation and movements?
assessment?

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Activity

• Complete the Learning

Hub quiz and all activities
to test your knowledge

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