Introduction

花一分钟的时间去思考自己的物理开发elopment. Did you excel at sports, or were you the last person chosen to be on a team? Was physical activity valued by your family? Was there something you always wanted to try but lacked the confidence to do so? Did you mature earlier or later than other kids your age? Do you think these experiences shaped your current feelings toward physical activity? While everyone develops at a different rate, how we feel about ourselves and our approach to physical activity are influenced by experiences that occur very early in our lives. Your program plays a pivotal role in shaping the way that children and youth approach physical activity.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an adult between the ages of 18 and 64 needs at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity movement (like brisk walking) per week and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week. However, Americans are less active in general than they once were. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can help:

• Control your weight
• 降低心血管疾病的风险
• Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• 降低一些癌症的风险
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Improve your mental health and mood
• Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls if you are an older adult
• Increase your chances of living longer

Let’s explore each of these benefits of physical activity in more detail, giving you information to help your program promote wellness by supporting physical development of children and youth.

Understanding Physical Development

体育发展is one domain of development. It relates to the changes, growth and skill development of the body, including the brain, muscles and senses. Physical development is evident primarily in电动机and精细动作skills。These skills are essential to children’s overall health and wellness. Gross-motor skills involve the use of large muscles in the legs or arms, as well as general strength and stamina. Examples of such skills include jumping, throwing, climbing, running, skipping or kicking. Fine-motor skills involve the use of small muscles in the arms, hands, and fingers and are supported by advancements in perception. Examples of such skills include stringing beads, scribbling, cutting or drawing. Fine-motor skills enable children to perform a variety of self-help tasks such as using utensils or dressing themselves.

Children’s motor abilities develop as a result of physical development and growth. As their bodies mature over time, children progressively strengthen their muscles and become able to better control their bodies. Skill mastery and development, however, are also the result of brain growth and development. Consider a preschooler kicking a ball back and forth with a peer. This child must have acquired control over movement and muscles to be able to kick the ball. At the same time, the child also depends on vision to determine the location and direction in which to kick the ball and on hearing for instructions from a peer or caregiver. As children move through the school-age years, their bodies and minds become capable of increasingly more-complex movement patterns and experiences.

Physical Activity for Staff

Physical Health

体育活动通过降低肥胖和疾病的可能性来提高健康并提高预期寿命。现在的变化可能会导致未来生活质量和持续时间的大差异。

• 体重管理：保持健康的体重是您可以照顾好自己的最佳方式之一，因为体重会影响一个人的整体健康的其他方面。肥胖增加了医疗支出并降低了生产力，生活质量和预期寿命。如果近期的趋势是继续，所有成年人将在2048年度超重或肥胖。每三个青年都是超重或肥胖，据疾病控制的中心，超重青少年有70％的机会成为超重或肥胖的成年人。预防。身体活动和健康的饮食是管理体重的关键。许多人觉得难以吃得很好，然而，当加上偶联时，它们是预防疾病和增加寿命的最佳处方。
• Lower Rates of Disease:Managing your weight with healthy eating and activity lowers your rate of disease. The rates of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers are lower for people who are physically active. While heredity is a contributing factor to chronic disease, our lifestyle makes an equally large impact on our overall health. When it comes to disease, we can either take a proactive approach by eating well and regularly exercising or we can ignore the value of maintaining a healthy weight and wait for illness to strike. The prospect of one day being a burden to loved ones or being unable to care for yourself as you age is not what most people hope for in their futures. Incorporating physical activity into our daily routine boosts our ability to live longer, healthier lives.

Mental Health

身体活动不仅影响我们的身体健康，而且对心理健康也有很大影响。身体活动减少压力并改善情绪。在我们脸上微笑处理起伏的能力可能只是散步。

• 减轻压力：Stress can be a silent killer. Prolonged levels of stress are associated with weight gain and illness. There is evidence that the most harmful type of fat that gathers around our midsections may be the result of stress. Food often becomes the drug of choice when people are stressed. This leads to a pattern of unhealthy behaviors, none of which get to the root of the problem — stress. Though it isn’t practical to expect to eliminate stress completely from your life, you can reduce the amount of stress you experience and eliminate some of the harmful effects it has on your health with physical activity. Being active will reduce stress and enhance life.
• 改善情绪：跑步者已经知道很长一段时间，身体活动之间存在联系以及它们如何在情感上感受。“跑步者高”是一个术语，用于描述跑步者和其他运动员经验的兴奋，从事剧烈运动。这种情绪增强的运动结果是由于感觉良好的脑化学品释放。这些天然化学品是免费的，没有处方。其他一些好处包括：
  • Gain confidence.Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.
  • Take your mind off worries.Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
  • Get more social interaction.锻炼可能会让你有机会与他人相遇或社交。只需在附近走路时换友好的微笑或问候可以提高你的心情。
  • Cope in a healthy way.Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how bad you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on its own can lead to worsening symptoms.

Cognitive Functioning

There is more and more evidence that physical activity positively affects cognitive functioning. Physical activity is important in our early years of development to maximize learning opportunities and it remains essential as we age to ensure that our bodies and brains remain in top shape.

• Boosting Brainpower:促进儿童智力很重要youth. Studies show that physical activity can strengthen problem-solving and concentration skills, which improves academic performance. In recent years, schools have decreased recess and physical education in an attempt to dedicate more time to structured learning activities. Rather than decreasing or eliminating time specifically for physical activity, centers and schools should realize the value of activity and increase the amount of time that children are active. Children will experience increased concentration and class performance after letting out energy.
• Prevent Cognitive Decline:Another benefit of remaining active throughout life is that it keeps our memory sharp and supports brain functioning as we age. This helps to prevent the cognitive decline of dementia, which we have a greater chance of experiencing as we age. Worldwide, one new case of dementia is detected every seven seconds. Cognitive decline is hard not only on the person experiencing it but it is also painful for those who assume caregiving roles. Though there is no cure for dementia, researchers have discovered that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain; physical activity enhances brain functioning. There is growing evidence that exercise may be an effective intervention for slowing down and perhaps preventing cognitive decline.

Importance of Physical Activity for Families

• Being physically active together can be fun for families。A long walk, hike, or bike ride can create meaningful memories for children and parents. Physical activity is also an inexpensive way for families to connect. Choosing to take the stairs together is free!
• When parents engage in physical activity, they experience health benefits。这些益处可能包括减肥和控制，降低心血管疾病的风险，增强心理健康。当家庭在一起时，父母在模拟身体活动时将这些健康效益传递给孩子。

Importance of Physical Activity for Children

Children who are physically active are more likely to stay at a healthy weight, sleep better, maintain strong bones, and reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases. Children who are physically active also have more opportunities to develop muscle strength and endurance. They are more likely to feel confident about themselves and their bodies as they grow (Let's Move Child Care, 2013).

Physical activity also provides children with access to learning across domains. An infant who rolls over or pulls up expands access to the world around him. He can look at, touch, and taste a wider array of objects. A preschooler who jumps in puddles is exploring concepts of physics. A school-age child who joins a group soccer game is broadening her social connections.

The negative consequences of inactivity for children are stark. Children are explorers and their brains develop through activity and movement. Children who are not active are more likely to have behavior problems in school or to have trouble with academics.

综上所述

Staff members are role models for the children in their care. It is important for children to see adults engaging in healthy habits like exercise. Children are more likely to participate in physical activities when they are surrounded by others who are interested and engaged.

在上面列出的所有令人信服的理由，为什么在我们的日常生活中包含更多锻炼？每个人的答案都不同，但在大多数情况下，一点鼓励是迈出的第一步。通过在您的计划中创建一个环境，这些环境重视健康，您将影响您计划服务的儿童，家庭和工作人员的健康结果。以下课程将：

• Provide a snapshot of physical development milestones for each age level your program serves
• Identify your role in supporting the physical development of children and youth
• Identify ways to encourage everyone to engage in a more active lifestyle

You are the “chief wellness officer” for your program. You are a role model and you set an example for others to follow. When you create a culture that values physical activity, you are more likely to motivate others at your program to do the same. By incorporating physical activity into all aspects of your program, you are sending the message that this is a healthy place to grow, learn and work.

Completing this Course

For more information on what to expect in this course and a list of the accompanying Learn, Explore and Apply resources and activities offered throughout the lessons, visit the Management Physical DevelopmentCourse Guide。

To support the professional development of the direct care staff members or family child care providers you oversee, you can access their corresponding Course Guides:

• 婴儿和蹒跚学步的身体发展Course Guide
• Preschool Physical DevelopmentCourse Guide
• School-Age Physical DevelopmentCourse Guide
• 亚慱彩票APP家庭幼儿体育发展Course Guide