Move and Play Every Day: Children's Physical Activity Guidelines

The Australian Government Department of Health has developed the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years, which outlines the daily balance of physical activities, sedentary behaviours, and sleep for children birth to 5 years.

Quality Sedentary Behaviour

Unsupervised use of screens while sedentary for long periods can lead to language delays, reduced attention spans, lower levels of school readiness, and poorer decision-making. The Department of Health encourages interactive non-screen-based activities such as reading, storytelling, singing, and puzzles during quiet time.

Importance of Being Active

Physical activity in early childhood is associated with physical health, such as healthy body composition and a strong heart. However, studies have also found positive links between the time children spend in active play and the development of essential cognitive and social skills.

For example, a 2013 study found that higher levels of physical activity are associated with better self-regulation amongst preschoolers. The development of self-regulation skills has been linked to learning success in pre-reading, early mathematics, and problem-solving.

Furthermore, creative dance and movement are an excellent mechanism for enhancing social competence and improving behaviour amongst at-risk preschoolers, with children who participated in the program experiencing less depression, withdrawal, anxiety, and aggression than children who did not participate. This reiterates that physical play doesn’t have to be sports and team games. Instead, physical play can and should incorporate creativity, performance, and self-expression.

Physical Activity Opportunities

The majority of young children’s daily physical activity happens through unstructured, active play. Giving children the freedom to create their own play is a fantastic way to encourage independence and agency. Physical play can take many forms but is always fun and encourages exploration and discovery!

Baby:

• Enrich tummy time by placing their favourite toys within arm’s reach to encourage grasping
  
  
• If crawling, create an obstacle course using cushions or other soft objects
  
  
• Once mobile, encourage babies to pull themselves up to a standing position by holding onto steady objects such as chairs or table legs

Toddler:

• Ball games such as rolling the ball to each other
  
  
• Dancing and twirling to music
  
  
• Obstacle courses that encourage balance and jumping movements such as hopping across recycled bubble wrap

Pre-School:

• Ball games that incorporate actions such as throwing, kicking and catching
  
  
• Running races
  
  
• Skipping rope

Perhaps above all else, early childhood is a window of opportunity for children to become and feel physically competent. Meaning that while their motor skills are pretty low, children generally hold high perceptions of their physical skills and ability, suggesting that they are more likely to engage in and persist with activities, providing them with the opportunity to master new skills.