2 Working with parents to promote physical development and activity

Watch Video 3 in which Karen and Nicola discuss how they work with parents to promote children’s physical health.

They highlight the importance of forming and building positive relationships with parents and the families of the children, as well as keeping them informed about the children’s development. They also give parents ideas for continuing physical activity at home through journals and home learning.

As you watch the film, make a note of some of the ideas that Karen and Nicola highlight.

• Try to list five ways they suggest have been helpful to them in developing how they work with parents to promote physical development in babies and young children
• Consider how you may be able to use some of their ideas in your own setting.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 3

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Transcript: Video 3

KAREN NASH:

I think the first thing that we do really is to build and form positive relationships with them, the parents and the families of the children.

NICOLA FARMER:

Yeah, that's really important, isn't it, involving the parents and getting them on board with the physical activity. And they can do things at home then that we do here.

KAREN NASH:

We invite them to come in and attend workshops and activities so they can see their children being physically active. And then we've also done Family Fridays, where we invite parents to come in, and they take part in children singing, music, and movement sessions. And I think feedback that we've had from that has been really positive. And parents and staff have all joined in together with the children.

NICOLA FARMER:

So of course, obviously, as well as the older children here, we've got our babies as well.

KAREN NASH:

Yeah, we do lots of-- lots and lots of physical activities with them. And I think it's just, more importantly, promoting that to parents that the babies have to be physically active as well.

NICOLA FARMER:

To get that understanding across to them actually that they don't realise that just by moving them around, or doing a little bit of tummy time, or different ways of doing things is really good for them.

KAREN NASH:

So we often take their shoes and socks off here so they can see their toes, and wiggle them, and be able to reach out and touch them, yes.

NICOLA FARMER:

And then we use treasure baskets as well, don't we? So these are baskets that we put lots of different household-ey things in that are obviously safe for the children, making sure they're OK.

KAREN NASH:

And then we send photographs and observations home on EyLog, which is our interactive learning journal for children and families.

NICOLA FARMER:

Which has been a really useful tool because then they can see what the babies are doing and the children are doing.

KAREN NASH:

You could do them at home, just finding anything that's low cost that they can use at home, pots and pans, saucepans.

NICOLA FARMER:

Helping their children to move, isn't it, getting them moving.

KAREN NASH:

Yeah, reaching forward, grasping for a toy, being able to manipulate their arms and their legs all day.

NICOLA FARMER:

And knowing that it doesn't have to be expensive as well, that all these things are in their house that they can use. So yes, definitely.

[CHILDREN CHATTERING]

So obviously, parents like to take their children out and do things with their children, don't they?

KAREN NASH:

I think, often, their lifestyles can impact. And they often think that it might have to cost something to take the children out and be physically active. But we just send information, don't we, at home, via newsletters and the EyLog learning journal.

NICOLA FARMER:

Yeah, give them ideas, via observations actually, that we've done here, that they can do at home as well, so.

KAREN NASH:

Home learning.

NICOLA FARMER:

Yes. Going for a walk in the woods.

KAREN NASH:

Going for a picnic.

NICOLA FARMER:

Anything really, isn't it?

KAREN NASH:

You're going shopping and getting your child to push the shopping trolley.

NICOLA FARMER:

Rather than being in the pushchair all the time, actually get them out and get them helping, isn't it? There's lots of things that you can.

KAREN NASH:

Even putting the music CD on at home and have a dance around in the living room.

NICOLA FARMER:

A little jig. They enjoy that.

KAREN NASH:

Often, our children don't have access to gardens here at nursery. So we have to make sure that they are physically active.

NICOLA FARMER:

And making sure that parents understand that as well, isn't it, definitely.

End transcript: Video 3

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