Physical Activity Promotion Policy Assessment

Aim

To provide children with a physically active program that is developmentally appropriate.

Related Policies

Additional Needs Policy

Physical Environment (Workplace Safety, Learning and Administration) Policy Relationships with Children Policy

Who is affected by this policy?

Children Families Educators Management

Implementation

 The service will implement the Get Up & Grow, Healthy Eating for Physical Activityfor Early Childhood program. A copy of the program can be found at the below web address:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/phd-early-childhood-nutrition- resources

In line with this, our service will implement the following promotion of physical activity as per the age and development stage of each child in attendance:

• For healthy development in infants (birth to 1 year), physical activity – particularlysupervised floor-based play in safe environments – should be encouraged from 
• Toddlers (1 to 3 years) and pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years) should be physically active every dayfor at least three hours, spread throughout the 
• Children younger than two years of age should not spend any time watching television orusing other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games).
• For children two to five years of age, sitting and watching television and the use of otherelectronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) should be limited to less than one hour per 
• Infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers should not be sedentary, restrained or kept inactive formore than one hour at a time – with the exception of sleeping

Educator’s Will: 

• Encourage children to participate in physical activities through programming andspontaneous 
• Encourage and support children to undertake and participate in new or unfamiliar physical
• Participatein physical activity with the 
• Show enthusiasm for participation in physical activity and organise play spaces to ensure thesafety and wellbeing of all individuals in the 
• Setup and plan for plan for physical play activities and equipment and where appropriate encourage the children to help with the set-up.
• Listento children’s suggestions on what physical activities they would like to participate in and where appropriate incorporate them into the program
• Set up indoor and outdoor areas in amanner that promotes and encourages safe physical play for all age groups and developmental abilities represented in the 
• Activelyencourage children to accept and respect each other’s range of physical 
• Consult with families and resource agencies on providing physical experiences that reflectdiverse backgrounds and Rolemodel appropriate footwear and clothing for physical 
• Will ensure abalance of active and sedentary activities throughout the child’s day and minimize sedentary behaviours unless the child is tired or ill.

The service will support the children in: 

• Learning to use increasingly complex motor skills and movement patterns in order tocombine gross and fine movement and balance skills, spatial awareness and problem-solving 
• The development of their physical skill set by providing regular opportunities for outdoor
• The development of their physical skill set by talking with children about how the humanbody and how important physical activity is for an individual’s health and 
• The development of their physical skill set by providing experiences for the children thatdraw on elements of dance, dramatic play and creative 
• The development of their physical skill set by providing babies with encouragement and safeareas to practice rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing and 

Sources

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 National Quality Standard

Get up and Grow, Health Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood Early Years Learning Framework

 Review

The policy will be reviewed annuallyby:

• Management
• Employees
• Families
• InterestedParties