2.2 Years 3–5

Being ‘ready for school’ is very dependent on children’s level of physical skills and their range of prior movement experience.

In Audio 4, Julia explores the importance of providing daily movement opportunities that ensure all children may navigate the school day with ease and enjoyment and some of the issues that may emerge if not.

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Transcript: Audio 4

JULIA

Of course, being 'ready for school' means different things to different people. And children themselves have some very clear ideas about it.

Essentially, in relation to physical activity and development, it's all about making sure all children can manage the school day with ease and enjoyment, that they can navigate round the classroom or playground without bumping into others or the furniture. That they can dress and undress themselves mostly independently, but that sitting still and listening to a story is a reasonable request. That they can join in, keep up, and contribute to play opportunities with their friends, use eating implements when required, and enjoy writing, drawing, and painting.

If you think about it, all these things are very dependent on good physical skills that, in turn, are based on the strength, agility, coordination, and balance that the children have learned through their early movement opportunities. These early movements help the later development of independence affecting things like readiness for potty training, development of pincer grip to hold pencils and cutlery and do up their coats and zips, even the ability to sit still.

Currently, we know that around 50% of children are finding it difficult to carry out simple tasks independently when they start school. We see children who are struggling to sit still on chairs in class and at mealtimes or when drawing and writing. Some are still not potty trained although most children are developmentally ready for potty training between the ages of 2 and 3 years old.

Children can often use handheld screen devices with confidence. But we find now that their hands lack the muscle strength to hold a pencil, use cutlery, and manage scissors. Every child needs to start school having developed good attention, balance, and coordination skills, including play, that strengthens hand muscles and hand–eye coordination for vital fine motor skills.

As adults, we perform many automatic skills daily such as walking, driving, and eating that we can do without having to think about those specific tasks. And we can concentrate on a new thinking task.

This is what we want for children as they grow and develop. That all the essential physical skills are in place so they can automatically sit and use a pencil and be able to think of all the wonderful, imaginative stories and poems they could be creating, or balance on one leg and track a moving ball with their eyes automatically so they can focus on the new skill of kicking the ball. A moving child is a learning child.

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Audio 4

Between the ages of 3 and 5 are vital years for physical development. It is the age when children should become really competent and confident movers, and able to manage their bodies with fluency and ease in a range of situations and environments.

Balance, strength and coordination become increasingly important as they begin the process of getting ‘ready for school.’