Want an innovative way to get young children moving--and support development across multiple domains? Discover CHAMPPS, the fun, effective, and research-based motor program for inclusive preschool classrooms. Filling the need for a school-based motor program designed for children with diverse abilities, CHAMPPS uses universal design for learning…

Recent findings from the Kids Activity and Learning Study complement North Carolina's multidimensional approach to promoting school readiness by emphasizing the integrated nature of motor and cognitive development in early childhood. Children whose motor skills improved the most over the course of an academic year also tended to demonstrate the…

Through play and physical activities (PAs), children have many opportunities to develop gross motor skills that require the use of large muscles for movement and control. Young children use gross motor skills as they engage in daily tasks such as sitting upright, maintaining control and balance while seated, walking down the hallway, moving…

During the preschool years children develop many new skills, including gross motor abilities, which serve as a foundation for school readiness skills in areas such as language, socialization and cognition. Like other domains, motor skill development does not happen without practice opportunities. That is, it requires multiple opportunities whereby…

Grounded in best practices and current research, this hands-on resource connects the dots that link brain activity, motor and sensory development, movement, and early learning. The expert authors unveil the Kinetic Scale: a visual map of the active learning needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary graders that fits each child's…

Toddlers--from about 16 to 36 months--can learn a variety of skills as they prepare food and follow recipes in developmentally appropriate ways. Early childhood teachers are encouraged to support young children's healthy eating habits by offering simple food preparation experiences. When toddlers--and preschoolers--safely prepare healthy snacks,…

This article describes a music and movement intervention for children in preschool classrooms. The intervention, consisting of sequenced music and movement activities, has been studied as a curriculum conducted by outside interventionists (Yazejian & Peisner-Feinberg, 2009/this issue) with results providing some support for the beneficial effects…

With childhood obesity and physical inactivity at an all-time high, parents and physical educators alike must look to the early years to promote competent and confident young movers. Popular opinion believes that children are naturally active and motor skill development progresses as a normal function of getting older. However, if one looks at…

Over the course of the past decade, the state of Louisiana has developed several documents to articulate expectations for children's learning and development and provide guidance for early childhood educators. The experiences and skills that children develop during the early years are critically important to their success later in school. What…

In Part II of this study, we examined the effect of two 9-week instructional climates (low-autonomy [LA] and mastery motivational climate [MMC]) on perceived physical competence (PPC) in preschoolers (N = 117). Participants were randomly assigned to an LA, MMC, or comparison group. PPC was assessed by a pretest, posttest, and retention test with…

Today, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common and most studied psychiatric disorder of childhood, affecting approximately five percent of school-aged children. That means that there are probably at least two children with ADHD in any average elementary school class. In the last 20 years, there has been an explosion in…

Although handwriting should not be formally taught in the preschool years, teachers can help children develop visual motor integration and other related skills required for writing. The activities suggested in this manual, while neither new nor different, are presented in a simple step-by-step form designed to facilitate success. Exercises focus…

Noting that infants should be encouraged to be physically active from the beginning of life to enhance physical and cognitive development, this statement provides teachers, parents, caregivers, and health care professionals with guidelines that address the kinds of activities, the environment, and the individuals responsible for facilitating very…

Written as a companion resource to "Early Childhood Essential Elements," a document developed by the Education Service Center, Region VI, Huntsville, Texas, this first volume of a two-volume activity guide provides activities enhancing children's cognitive, communication, and motor skills. Activities included in the guide are compiled…

This teacher resource book features 49 organized games that involve active movement and that provide positive play experiences for 3- to 5-year-old children. The games in the book encourage cooperative learning and teamwork, and help children develop important social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. In addition to detailed descriptions…