Physical Education and Exercise

Physical Education teaches children how their body moves and enables them to develop and improve their gross motor skills. The engagement of gross motor skills uses large muscles (arms, legs, torso, feet, etc.).

I like to incorporate Physical Education in my curriculum in a FUN way. Every day the children enjoy different themed music and a movement period. In the past I have also added a counting exercise during circle time. This includes choosing a type of exercise (jumping, jumping jacks, hop on one foot, arm circles, etc.) and doing that exercise to the number of the day on the calendar. It keeps the children involved in circle time, gives them a break, gets all the jitters out, and best of all, the children have a blast doing it.

Another thing that goes along with physical exercise is TEAMWORK. I grew up playing team sports from as young as I can remember. I played volleyball for four years in college and currently coach volleyball, so as you can see, teamwork has been a big part of my life. I think teamwork is important to learn at a young age because it is a vital skill used in all areas of life; in the classroom, on a sports team, and at your workplace. It can be utilized at a store, in your home, or at a restaurant. A classroom is built on working with others (i.e., building blocks together, connecting train tracks with one another, parachute play-working together to lift the parachute up and trying not to let the ball drop, etc.). Promoting or practicing teamwork will give children the opportunity to experience competitiveness, good sportsmanship, success, and it is a means of encouragement to keep trying when something doesn’t go their way. I love teaching teamwork because when you see a child helping another child figure out something new, the smile on their faces and those words “we did it, I helped him” are priceless.