Issues Related to Nutrition and Fitness

Physical fitness is important for young children for many reasons. Here are just a few of the many benefits of physical fitness:
• Physical fitness provides overall benefits to a child’s lifelong health.
• Physical fitness protects against high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, obesity, and poor self esteem.
• Physical fitness aids in keeping a child active.
• Physical fitness is fun can be easy.
• Physical fitness helps children develop and advance in motor development and physical development.
Three developmental skills that children are learning at this stage are:
• Literacy skills
• Locomotor skills
• Manipulative skills
Physical fitness activities can help a child towards mastery of these skills because through repeated exercise, a child gains the muscle control to advance in these areas.
In literacy skills exercises, the children can learn how to move and imitate animals which, in turn the children are gaining muscle control to perform various animal stances as well as, the children can gain advancement in more complicated animal stances such as from hopping on both feet to jumping up and down in place, or hopping on both feet to hopping on one foot. The children also learn the literacy aspect of this activity by learning and reading about the different types of animals and how they move about (http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/GoodwayBTJ.pdf).
Locomotor skills are the motor skills we use to walk, run, hop, and skip. These skills are performed using our legs and feet. A child who practices these skills on a daily basis will eventually master these skills at a more advanced level because a baby must learn to crawl before he walks, and a toddler walks before he runs, etc. An example of a locomotor activity would be jumping rope. Mastery of being able to jump rope means that the child is effectively using locomotor skill by jumping without getting the rope tangled in his or her feet.
Manipulative skills are the skills a child uses with his hands and arms. These skills include throwing, striking, and catching. A child has to master using their hands and finger skills in order to catch a large ball, then to catch a smaller ball requires the child more precision at using his or her hands and fingers. Physical activities involving playing baseball, playing catch, and throwing balls, helps a child to master the manipulative skills.
When children do not engage in healthy fitness activities they are prone to becoming obese, have other health issues and they don’t develop properly. Obesity is a major issue for children because it can lead to inability to exercise regularly and causes major chronic disease and death. “The percentage of children who are obese has tripled in the last 30 years” (Robertson, C. 2010, p. 259). This means that a lot of nutritional habits are not being practiced in the home. Also, the impact that childhood obesity has with regards to physical activity is that obese children can’t keep up with their peers, or they may not get chosen to play with others. Lastly, an obese child’s self-esteem is lower than other children’s because they get made fun of more so than the other children. Also, an obese child has a poor self image and this creates poor self-esteem.
Adults can help children develop good fitness habits by cooperating with the children and performing the activities with the children. Routine exercising helps get the children to develop good fitness habits. If a child sees the teacher working out, the child will want to work out as well. If a teacher creates a fun learning environment, with an environment that is interesting to explore, the children will have fun while doing so. Lastly, if parents are involved in these processes of exercising regularly the children will tend to be more active because they have significant adults in their lives that are active.
Some activities that children can perform and one’s that are enjoyable, are activities such as playing hula hoops, and ball bouncing. These activities involve all of the children at once because each child can have their own ball and hula hoop.
Bouncing a ball uses hand movement and what is called manipulative skills, which is basically hand movements. The children can practice bouncing the ball until they perfect this skill. This activity is developmentally appropriate because the children can practice ball bouncing, they can gain coordination from eyes to hands, and the balls are safe and easy to carry because the teacher can use rubber balls or soft balls.
Playing hula hoop activities are fun because it is challenging and they come in a variety of colors. The children can learn a lot of skills with a hula hoop such as jumping “in and out of them, march inside of them, and balance them on their arm” (http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?did=1038789361&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientid=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD). This activity uses locomotor skills because children use their feet and legs to jump in and out of the hula hoop.
“It takes a whole village to raise a healthy child” (http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweg?did=1038789361/&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD&cfc=1). This quote is a thought provoking quote because it holds validity. It holds validity because in order for a child to grow up healthy, it not only starts in the home. Teachers play a huge role in teaching and guiding children to grow healthy, educated, and have a sense of belonging. A child’s overall health is determined by the actions of those around them because children require love, care, guidance, and room for exploration and the development of their own ideas and morals. The role of the teacher is to guide and nurture the children along the way.
Physical activity poses many benefits to children’s health. Physical activity reduces risks of death, sickness, and chances for developing obesity. Also, as a child develops a routine of physical activity, it “helps them build motor skills, learn about physical fitness, and lay the groundwork for an active, healthy lifestyle” (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM13598.pdf). It is easy to mold children to live a healthy lifestyle by starting them when they are young so when they grow, they take with them the healthy routines that they are taught as children. When physical activity is practiced on a daily basis, it becomes a natural process, which benefits the body for a lifetime. Teachers and families can do their part by teaching children healthy routines such as eating healthy and exercising regularly. “Physical activity is an important part of good health and helps children to maintain appropriate healthy weights” (http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/resources/dochcare.htm). Because childhood obesity is harmful to a child’s health, there are many programs in schools and in the community that can help children to maintain healthy diets and regular exercising habits.



Resources
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2006, May). Resources for
encouraging good nutrition and physical fitness. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the
Web. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/ResourcesBTJ.pdf

New York State Department of Health. (2006, April). Preventing childhood obesity: Tips for
child care professionals. Retrieved from
http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/resources/obchcare.htm

Robertson, C. 2010. Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed.).
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Rupnow, A., & Morain, V. Growing up fit: Preschool fitness activities. (2000, March). Retrieved
from Iowa State University: University Extension:
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1359B.pdf

Schilling, T., & McOmber, K. A. (2006, May). Tots in action on and beyond the playground.
Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from the Walden Library http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?did=1038789361&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD