Physical Fitness in Preschool and Elementary School-Aged Children

We have to live in the future

“…From a developmental point of view, this denial of children's participation is to be considered a risk factor for adequate social and moral development as well as for the emergence of psychological problems (de Winter et al , 1999). There is little doubt that children '… are a special population about which we know very little' (Seefeldt, 1984). Therefore, if we accept the principle that health promotion must address problems perceived by the public as important in the context of their everyday lives, we must seek to understand health as children themselves see it and within that their own relevant social contexts (Kalnins et al, 1992).…”

“…The early childhood literature describes young children as a special population about which we know very little, but for whom participation in physically active play and physical activity programmes is preferable to adult-tailored fitness/exercise programmes (Seefeldt, 1984;Seefeldt & Voegel, 1989). Gallahue and Ozman (2002) agreed, arguing that children move to learn and, in so doing, 'learn to move'.…”

Assessment of preschoolers’ gross motor proficiency: revisiting Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency

“…Preschool children's gross motor skill performance or proficiency has commonly been represented by their fundamental motor skill performance (Gallahue & Ozmun, 1995Lam, Ip, Lui, & Koong, 2003;Seefeldt, 1984;Williams, 1983). Fundamental motor skills which are basic to human movement (Gallahue, 1993) represent the combination of two or more body segments utilised to perform a movement (Espenschade & Eckert, 1980;Gallahue 1993, Gallahue & Ozmun, 1995Graham, Holt/Hale, & Parker, 1998;Pangrazi & Dauer, 1992) including the locomotor patterns of walking, running, jumping, hopping, galloping, skipping and the ball handling skills of throwing, kicking, striking and bouncing.…”

The Performance of Fundamental Gross Motor Skills by Children Enrolled in Head Start

“…Participation in organized physical activity throughout childhood often depends upon the success a child has in performing fundamental motor skills (Seefeldt, 1994). Children who are not proficient in fundamental motor skills are not likely to participate in activities in which these skills are required.…”