Moving Children Healthily - Kindergarten

Movement in kindergarten

Being a child is inextricably linked with movement. Children usually like to move on their own. The little ones learn a lot about themselves and their environment through exercise. Your physical and mental development is closely linked to exercise and experience of movement. The brain is constantly learning, so to speak, making new connections, muscles and bones develop and much more. Various sensory and movement stimuli support the children's development. Since many girls and boys spend a large part of their time in kindergartens, this is also of central importance in terms of movement experience and development.

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Why movement?

Movement has many important functions. It is necessary for optimal development of the nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems in children. Movement is "involved" in building bones and muscles, in promoting perception, cognitive abilities, coordination, developing the psyche and in social experience / behavior. The development of the little ones depends, among other things, on physical activity and strain. "Movement skills" acquired in childhood are extremely valuable and the basis for later. They are one of the foundations for an active and healthy adulthood.

Children - regardless of gender, ethnicity and physical, sensory or mental disabilities - should move as much as possible and long periods of sitting should be avoided. Kindergarten children from the age of 3 to the start of school should be physically active for at least three hours a day. At least 60 minutes (1 hour) of this should be spent exercising at medium to high intensity. This means: Movement in which you can still speak but no longer recover (medium intensity) or movement in which only short exchanges are possible (high intensity). Particular attention is to be paid to enjoying movement. A wide range of different age-appropriate forms of exercise is ideal - such as romping around in the playground, exercise games,Riding a scooter or a balance bike - which strengthens muscles and strengthens bones or promotes endurance.

Particularly in toddlers, child-friendly support and demands are in the foreground and not top athletic performance. It is also important to experience a variety of movement and sensory experiences - coordinative skills such as jumping, climbing, running, swinging, throwing and rolling, etc., are particularly important. The targeted promotion of gross and fine motor skills (playing ball, pouring juice into a glass, paper cutting with children's scissors, kneading, etc.), but also the possibility of free movement and last but not least games and fun should be given in order to contribute to a positive basic attitude towards movement and sport in later life.

Exercise healthily in kindergarten

With the help of employees of the kindergarten, the children in the kindergarten face new smaller and larger challenges. Many kindergartens integrate exercise, even if the conditions are less than optimal (for example, due to personnel situation, rooms, resources for materials, etc.) If, for example, there is no dedicated gym (multi-purpose room) and no free outdoor area (playground) available, forms of movement such as climbing, balancing, hanging and running are implemented almost everywhere - not least thanks to children's creativity - despite the limited space and without expensive materials.

Everyday objects are converted into movement aids, for example. Kindergartens also offer variety in the forms of exercise, for example through cooperation with sports clubs, through exercise games, etc. Exercise in the fresh air - and the resulting warm, cold and light stimuli - are also important for children. Through movement, children get to know their sensations, their limits, needs and their bodies better. They also learn to orientate themselves, better assess distances and speeds, and much more. Last but not least, this is important with regard to the prevention of accidents.

Unlike in school, there are no grades and no pressure to perform when exercising in kindergarten. A child's "ability to move" arises through trying out, repeating and varying - the focus is on joy and fun. Movement is fun for children if it is also associated with praise and recognition, i.e. a sense of achievement. Much is worked out in a playful way - among other things with the aim of arousing curiosity and initiating learning processes, but also with the aim of conveying joy in movement. Children learn by imitating the movements of children of the same age or older, personal experiences and while playing, be it by playing ball or by moving and singing games.

Note It is precisely the early movement behavior that also shapes behavior in adulthood. Exercise should therefore not only take place in everyday kindergarten, but also outside of it - e.g. at home. Often, however, the urge to move cannot be lived out. It is also sometimes not possible to ventilate, for example due to cramped living conditions, hours of television and computer games. Kindergarten is an addition to exercise at home, but it is not a full substitute.

Health and physical activity in kindergartens is anchored in the educational framework plan. The implementation differs from kindergarten to kindergarten. It is best to inquire at the kindergarten of your choice about the possibilities and conditions.

Info & links

• As part of projects and model kindergartens, exercise is integrated even more consciously into everyday kindergarten life. You can find information on the websites of the federal states, among other places. You can find these and sample collections for download under Kindergarten: Advice & Help (Healthy Kindergarten - Projects).
• "Fit Sport Austria" offers a wide range of exercise programs throughout Austria. One of the goals is to integrate more exercise in kindergartens. The initiative "Moving children healthily", of the Ministry of Sport in cooperation with Fit Sport Austria and the popular sports associations, offers exercise support in kindergartens and elementary schools. Parents and educators can find information about the offers, materials and exercises at www.kindergesundbewegen.at.
• The website www.mobilungskompetenzen.at of the Ministry of Sport and the earlier initiative “Fit for Austria” provides downloads with exercises.
• More information on the question " How much exercise is recommended from a health perspective?" Can be found under recommended exercise.
• You can find more information about movement and development of children at www.eltern-bildung.at.