FACTSHEET
FamilyResourcesforFunwithPhysicalActivityand
YoungChildren
WhatisFunwithPhysicalActivity?
Youngchildrenlovetomoveandplay,becauseitisfun!Yourchild’severydaylifeoffersendless
opportunitiestopromotehisorherhealth,wellness,andfitnessthroughavarietyofphysicalactivities.
Movingfostersbraindevelopmentandinvolvestheinteractionofstrength,flexibility,coordination,
balance,andendurance.Grossmotorskillsinvolvinglargemusclesareusedforrolling,crawling,
walking,andrunning.Finemotorskillsrequiringdexterityandeye-handcoordinationinvolvesmaller
musclesforactivitiessuchaseating,dressing,andwriting.Physicalactivityconsistsofrecreational
activitiessuchasswimmingorplayingT-ballorsoccer.Unstructuredactivitiesmayincluderiding
tricyclesorplayingattheneighborhoodparkwithotherchildren.Physicalactivitycanbeencouraged
duringeverydayroutinesandplaytimes.
WhatroledoesfamilyhaveinFunwithPhysicalActivity?
Childrenbenefitfromlovingrelationshipswithfamilymembersandcaregiverswhoareencouraging,
responsive,andavailabletoshareintheirlearningexperiences.Youareyourchild’sgreatestteacher,
becauseyouunderstandyourchildtheverybestandcancreateopportunitiesforlearningthroughplay.
Someofthebestinteractionsoccurduringfamilyactivitiessuchasdoinglaundry,walkingthedog,
preparingmealstogether,playinggames,orcreatingartprojectswithsiblings.Organizedand
spontaneousactivitiescanprovidefunfortheentirefamilyandmaybesharedwithfamilyandfriends.
WheremightIfindideasforFunwithPhysicalActivitywithmychild?
Thefollowingresourcesincludeavarietyoffunideasforphysicalactivityforspecificagegroups,special
occasions,playdates,oractivitiesprovidedinthecommunity:
• TheAPTAAcademyofPediatricPhysicalTherapyPinterestPageoffersmovementactivities
andideastopromotehealth,development,andparticipationforinfantsandchildren.Available
athttp://www.pinterest.com/aptasop/.
• TheBrightFuturesActivityBookisavailableforsharingbyBrightFuturesatGeorgetown
University.Thisphysicalactivitybook,alsoavailableinSpanish,providessuggestionsfor
movementactivitieswithafocusondevelopingafoundationforhealthylivinghabits.Available
athttp://www.brightfutures.org/activity/index.htm.
• TheTipsandToolsonPlayisacentralresourceguidedevelopedbyZerotoThreeNational
CenterforInfants,Toddlers,andFamilies.Theseresourcesincludepodcasts,downloadable
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bookletsforfamilies,themeactivitiesassociatedwiththetimeofyear,tipsforchoosingtoys,
playactivitiesorganizedaccordingtoagegroups,andaslideshowthatwouldbeusefulfor
communitytalksabouttheimportanceofplay.Availableathttp://www.zerotothree.org/childdevelopment/play/tips-and-tools-play.html.
•
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10WaystoPlaythisWeekendisfromtheCreativeFamilyFunwebsiteandprovidessuggestions
for10funactivitiesforfamiliestotrywiththeirchildrenontheweekend,withupto8
weekendsofsuggestionsavailable,andtipsto“getmoving.”Availableat
http://www.creativefamilyfun.net/search/label/ways%20to%20play.
TeacherToolboxfromtheSocietyofHealthandPhysicalEducatorswebsiteprovidesmonthly
activityideas,classroomresources,andphysicalactivitycalendars.Activitiesareavailablein
EnglishandSpanishforthepreschoolandschoolagechild.Availableat
http://www.shapeamerica.org/publications/resources/teachingtools/teachertoolbox/.Specific
physicaldevelopmentandoutdooractivitiesforchildren5yearsandyoungerareavailableat
theHeadStartBodyStartNationalCenterforPhysicalDevelopmentandOutdoorPlay(HSBS)
http://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/encyclopedia/h/head-start-body-start.
•
FamilyTLCprovidesstrategiestoenhanceplaytimethroughfamily-centeredactivitiesinvolving
ageappropriatemovementsfordevelopingyourchild’smotorskills.Theemphasisonparentchildrelationshipsisespeciallyvaluable.Availableathttp://familytlc.net/index.html.
•
HandsOn:AsWeGrowisawebsiteprovidingnumerousactivitylinkscategorizedbyage,
objective,theme,andmaterial.Someoftheusefulresourcesinclude“40GrossMotorActivities
toGetYourKidsMoving,”“30GrossMotorActivitiesforKidswithExcessEnergy,”“30Kids
Activities&MaterialsforPromotingFineMotorSkills,”and“50ToddlerActivities.”Activitiesare
availableforchildren0-3yearsoldandarebrokenupinto6monthtimeframes.Availableat
http://handsonaswegrow.com/.
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TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventiondistributesguidelinesforphysicalactivityand
ideasforhowtopromoteyourchild’sparticipationinactivities.Availableat
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adding-pa/activities-children.html.
•
Healthychildren.orgisawebsitethatgivesrecommendationsonmanytopicsincluding
nutrition,fitness,developmentalmilestones,socialsituations,andmore.Informationis
providedfromprenataltoyoungadult.Availableat
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/preschool/nutritionfitness/Pages/Increasing-Physical-Activity-in-Preschool-Years.aspx.
Howmightapediatricphysicaltherapisthelpchoosephysicalactivitiesformychildwithadisability?
Pediatricphysicaltherapistsarelicensedhealthcareprofessionalswithspecializededucationand
experiencetopromotelearningthroughmovementinyoungchildren-especiallychildrenwithoratrisk
foradevelopmentaldelayordisability.Pediatricphysicaltherapistsunderstandphysicalactivityis
importantforoptimaldevelopmentanduseplaytomeetchildandfamilygoals.Apediatricphysical
therapistisanexcellentresourcetohelpyouchooseoradaptactivitiestoprovide“justtheright”
challengeforyourchild’slearningandmotordevelopmentathomeorinthecommunity.Pediatric
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physicaltherapistsalsoworktogetherwithinateam,includingthefamily,toprovideindividualized
evaluations,interventions,educationandresourcestoenhancetheoverallhealth,wellness,fitness,and
developmentofyourchild.Otherteammembersmightincludethechild’steacher,childcareprovider,
physician,occupationaltherapist,andspeech-languagepathologist.
References
AmericanPhysicalTherapyAssociation(APTA).Today’sPhysicalTherapist:AComprehensiveReviewofa
21st-CenturyHealthCareProfession.Availableat
http://www.moveforwardpt.com/ForHealthCareProfessionals.aspx.
AmericanPhysicalTherapyAssociation(APTA).ToysforChildrenwithDisabilities.Availableat
http://www.moveforwardpt.com/resources/detail.aspx?cid=ba99efa3-1a96-434e-a869627f99d5a131.
AmericanAcademyofPediatrics,HealthCouncilonSportsMedicineandSchoolHealth.ActiveHealthy
Living:PreventionofChildhoodObesityThroughIncreasedPhysicalActivity.Pediatrics.
2006;117(5):1834–1842
GinsburgKR;AmericanAcademyofPediatricsCommitteeonCommunications;AmericanAcademyof
PediatricsCommitteeonPsychosocialAspectsofChildandFamilyHealth.Theimportanceof
playinpromotinghealthychilddevelopmentandmaintainingstrongparent-childbonds.
Pediatrics.2007Jan;119(1):182-91.
LoboMA,HarbourneRT,DusingSC,McCoySW.(2013).Groundingearlyintervention:Physicaltherapy
cannotjustbeaboutmotorskillsanymore.PhysicalTherapy,93(1),94-103.
RoggmanLA,CookGA,InnocentiMS,JumpNormanV,ChristiansenK.(2013).ParentingInteractions
withChildren:ChecklistofObservationsLinkedtoOutcomes(PICCOLO)inDiverseEthnic
Groups.InfantMentalHealthJournal,34(4),290–306.http://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21389
©2016bytheAcademyofPediatricPhysicalTherapy(APPT),AmericanPhysicalTherapyAssociation,
1111NFairfaxStreet,Alexandria,VA22314-1488,www.pediatricapta.org.
DevelopedbytheAPPTEarlyInterventionSpecialInterestGroupwithspecialthankstoexpert
contributorsElisaKennedy,PT,PhD,PCS;PriscillaWeaver,PT,PhD,DPT,PCS;andLisaChiarello,PT,PhD,
PCS,FAPTA,withappreciationtoTaylorPrice,SPTandMichelleSegretto,PT,DPTasstudent
contributors.
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