Physical Activity and Movement for early childhood services
Physical activity and active play helps promote growth and development of healthy hearts, bones, muscles and minds, as well as fundamental movement skills and emotional regulation.
This health and wellbeing priority encourages physical activity and movement for the whole service community.
This priority helps to bring together existing physical activity and movement actions.
Physical Activity and Movement Action Table
This action table gives an example of how the Healthy Places Framework can be applied to Physical Activity and Movement in services.
Action area | Leadership and Commitment | Teaching & Learning | Physical Environment | Culture | Staff Wellbeing | Families & Community Engagement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goal | There is strong leadership support and a shared commitment to a whole service approach to physical activity and movement. | Children build physical literacy skills through a variety of developmentally appropriate learning experiences. | The built and natural environment supports physical activity and movement throughout the day. | The service fosters attitudes, behaviours and values that support physical activity and movement. | Staff have access to resources and support for their own physical activity and movement. | The service engages, partners and collaborates with families and community organisations to support physical activity and movement. |
Example Actions | Where applicable, consider environmental sustainability practices in the service’s approach to physical activity and movement. Communicate the service’s commitment to physical activity and movement with the service community. | Encourage active play to foster positive attitudes towards physical activity. Incorporate opportunities for children to initiate and contribute ideas for active play experiences and spaces. | Provide indoor and outdoor spaces to enable physical activity in all weather conditions, including green space and shade where possible. Provide play and sports equipment that are adaptable and moveable to challenge children’s movement and promote adventure and safe risky play. | Role model positive attitudes towards physical activity and, where possible, engage in active play. Where possible, encourage safe active travel to and from the service for children, staff and families. This may include part of the journey. | Support and, where possible, promote opportunities for staff to be physically active. Share evidence-based, culturally appropriate and accessible information to support staff physical activity and movement. | Provide opportunities for families to be involved in the planning and delivery of physical activity and movement initiatives. Use and promote local parks, bike paths and recreation facilities to encourage participation in active play and movement. |
Join today to see the full list of suggested actions, examples in practice and links to supporting programs and resources as outlined in the Physical Activity and Movement Whole-Service Action Guide.
The Health and Wellbeing Priorities
The Healthy Places Framework helps early childhood services support all health and wellbeing priorities through a set of action guides. Six health and wellbeing priorities areas each have their own guide, and a flexible action guide is also available for any health area while still following the Framework.
