he Be Active team, alongside the States Early Years team, continues to work closely with Early Years settings to enable and encourage providers to offer opportunities for young children to be active and to develop co-ordination, control, and movement.
We know that children learn from movement and physical activity and that children’s early experiences can help them develop the skills, attitudes and confidence to be active throughout their life.
Focus is on supporting children’s gross motor skills (when a child uses their whole body in a movement, such as jumping or running) and fine motor skills (when a child uses precise movements using specific body parts, such as the thumb and finger to pick objects up).
The Chief Medical Officer guidelines are that young children (birth to five years) should be physically active every day for at least 180 minutes (3 hours). The more the better. This should be spread throughout the day, including playing outdoors.
How we have worked with Early Years Settings
- Assisted with multi-agency training days for Early Years staff and childminders around Physical Development from birth to 4yrs.
- Organised fun days attended by hundreds of children celebrating The Daily Mile, including a Wind in the Willows walk at Les Vardes quarry.
- Organised an annual Go Wild initiative to encourage children to be active in nature. Allocated grants to early years providers and childminders enabling them to buy equipment and resources to enhance physical activity in settings.
- Gifted 100+ balance bikes to Early Years settings and provided ‘Ready Set Ride Training’.
Government guidelines for physical Activity for early years (birth – 5 years)
