Physical literacy is the development of fundamental movement skills needed for daily activities, physical activity, sport and movement. 

Developing physical literacy is essential for children’s optimal growth and development. It sets the path for a life-long relationship with physical activity, learning new skills, and good physical and mental health. 

Although physical literacy can be developed at any stage in life, it is best to start early because intensive brain development forming critical neural connections occurs in the first five years of life.

Fundamental movement skills are basic movements on land, air, water, and ice or snow involving various body parts. These movement skills form the basis of physical literacy and must be learned and practised by children to build competence in their movements and confidence in their abilities.

Fundamental movement skills include:

• Locomotion skills are the foundation of human movement. As we improve these skills, our bodies develop strength and gain stability, and our ability to move efficiently in different ways is improved. Locomotor skills enable moving through space, such as walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, swimming, skating and climbing.
• Balance skills are required for all forms of movement. Static Balance is the ability to hold a position without moving. Dynamic Balance is the ability to maintain balance while in motion. 
• Object manipulation skills are skills that involve using an object such as a ball, a ring, a racket etc. As well as developing hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, object manipulation skills develop a sense of timing and spatial awareness, helpful for activities such as throwing, catching, hitting, kicking and dribbling. 

A growing number of alarming trends are contributing to a generation of inactive children and sending them on a dangerous path. 

High levels of sedentary time, particularly screen time at a young age, have been associated with higher body fat, poor diet and lower self-regulation, lower cognitive development, social and mental health challenges, slower motor development and reduced cardiovascular health.

This generation will need to become habitually physically active to grow into healthy, resilient adults who can survive and thrive in a changing world. 

Together, we must focus on movement behaviour change and strengthening physical literacy in children, for whom a timely early intervention will lead to vastly superior health outcomes over their lifespan. 

1) Indoor running shoes

The proper footwear will provide the necessary support and protection during the activities. It is vital that your child fully participates without discomfort or risk of injury. 

2) Activewear

Breathable activewear suitable for physical activity: t-shirts and shorts are recommended.

3)  Water bottle

Staying hydrated during physical activities is crucial for ensuring your child can perform at their best. We'd like to ask that the water bottle be labelled with your child's name to avoid confusion or mix-ups. 

As a parent:

• Be positive role models.
• Provide opportunities for your child to develop and practice fundamental movement skills, including using nature and outdoor play.
• Encourage your child to move and positively reinforce their efforts. Allow your child to guide activities based on their interests and build on their ideas.
• Ensure your child has ample rest between activities.
• Facilitate activities that use a wide variety of fundamental movement skills.
• Model and encourage determination as they learn new and challenging movements.
• Promote building your child's resilience and critical thinking by facilitating the use of learned skills in new and exciting environments.
• Modify activities for children of differing developmental abilities.
• Foster an environment that supports learning through practice.
• Support your child in learning self-regulation during play to improve their self-regulating ability in more challenging environments.