It's often thought that formal physical education can wait until children reach school. However, experts like Josh Candy from Early Years PE have challenged these outdated views with innovative, playful, and holistic approaches that make physical education (PE) essential to early childhood development.
Why Physical Education Matters in Early Years
Physical education in early childhood is about much more than just teaching children how to kick a ball or run a race. Research shows that early physical activity supports the development of crucial motor skills, cognitive abilities, and emotional well-being. It lays the foundation for a healthier lifestyle, builds confidence, and encourages social interaction.
Josh Candy’s work at Early Years PE is a prime example of how physical education can be tailored to young learners in fun, engaging ways that spark a lifelong interest in movement and well-being. His approach focuses on creating positive experiences with physical activities, integrating imaginative play, storytelling, and relatable mascots to teach fundamental sports skills.
Here are three key reasons why physical education in early years is essential:
Physical Development: Early movement activities help children develop motor skills like balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, which are foundational for future learning.
Cognitive Growth: Activities like running, jumping, or even balancing improve brain function by promoting neural connections and helping children focus, problem-solve, and think creatively.
Emotional and Social Well-being: Participating in group activities fosters teamwork, builds self-esteem, and allows children to handle successes and failures in a supportive environment.
Josh Candy’s Playful Approach: Learning Through Fun
Josh Candy’s Early Years PE programme proves that physical education doesn’t need to be competitive or intimidating for young children. He breaks down sports into their core components, making them accessible, relatable, and fun.
For example, in his football sessions, children become “penguins” with their mascot, Poppy the Penguin. Why penguins? Because penguins don’t use their hands! Children carry their footballs (representing penguin eggs) across “blocks of ice” without using their hands, teaching them the basics of dribbling and movement, but in a way that feels like play. Along the way, they also learn fascinating facts about penguins, turning a simple football game into a multi-disciplinary learning experience involving geography and wildlife.
Josh emphasises that physical education in the early years isn’t about creating the next professional athlete. Instead, it’s about offering children the chance to enjoy and explore their bodies’ capabilities in a way that suits their age and stage of development. This holistic approach aligns with the seven areas of learning: communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive arts and design.
How Literacy Supports Physical Education
One innovative aspect of Josh’s programme is integrating literacy into PE sessions. For example, before starting an activity, he might read a book like Mr. Men and the Big Match to set the stage. This helps focus the children’s attention, introduces new vocabulary, and ties the physical activities to stories they understand. Children associate words with actions by using language associated with sports, which helps them in PE and their overall language development.
10 Ideas to Promote Physical Education in Early Years
Educators looking to incorporate physical education into their teaching can take inspiration from Josh’s playful and effective methods. Here are ten fun and creative suggestions for promoting physical education in the early years:
Introduce Mascots: Use a playful mascot like Josh’s Poppy the Penguin to help children connect with the activity. A mascot can give the lessons a sense of fun and imagination.
Storytime Warm-Up: Begin PE sessions with a short story about the sport or activity. Use books that introduce the language of the game and create a narrative that draws children into the action.
Animal Movements: Incorporate animal-themed activities. Whether penguins dribbling eggs (footballs) or crabs moving sideways in tennis, children will love imitating animals while developing essential motor skills.
Obstacle Courses: Set up imaginative obstacle courses where children can “escape the sharks” or “cross the ice blocks” while carrying their “penguin eggs” (balls). This develops balance, coordination, and agility.
Mini Sports Weeks: Rotate sports every few weeks to introduce variety, just like Josh’s six-week rotation of football, rugby, or cricket. Children stay engaged and learn a range of skills.
Music and Movement: Play music during physical activities to keep energy levels high and create a fun environment. Match movements to the rhythm to develop coordination and timing.
Parent Participation: Encourage parents to attend a session. This will promote family bonding and show them the value of early physical education.
Outdoor Exploration: Take physical education outside whenever possible. Whether at a local park or in the garden, outdoor environments offer endless opportunities for exploration and movement.
Team-Building Games: Use games focusing on teamwork and cooperation rather than competition. Simple activities like passing a ball without dropping it or working together to move objects can build social skills and team spirit.
Celebrate Progress: Celebrate small achievements, whether mastering a new skill or simply showing enthusiasm for participating. This positive reinforcement helps build confidence.
Overcoming Barriers
Josh’s journey into early years PE highlights an important lesson for all educators: Don’t let misconceptions limit your impact. When he first started, the common belief was that sport was too competitive for young children. However, by broadening his understanding and seeking support from a network of like-minded professionals, Josh overcame this barrier and transformed how early years PE is approached.
By adopting a similar mindset, educators can make a profound difference in the lives of young children. Physical education is not just about creating athletes—it’s about setting children up for a healthy, active, and balanced future.
Incorporating physical education into the early years can be a fun and holistic experience for children and educators. By using creative, imaginative approaches like those pioneered by Josh Candy, we can ensure that physical activity becomes an enjoyable and integral part of childhood development.
I recently interviewed Josh Candy on my Podcast: ‘For Your Ears from the Early Years.’ Tune in and listen to how physical education is a pathway to learning across the curriculum.
Lili-Ann Kriegler (B. A Hons, H. Dip. Ed, M.Ed.) is a Melbourne-based education consultant and award-winning 'Power of Play' and 'Roots and Wings' author. Lili-Ann owns Kriegler Education and writes to share the wisdom she has acquired through her training and 30 years of experience in education. She is a child, parent and family advocate who believes education is a transformative force for humanity.
Website: https://www.kriegler-education.com/
Comentarios