What is physical literacy, and why do kids need it?
We know children need regular physical activity for healthy development. Research shows regular active play leads to better physical, emotional, and social well-being. It also leads to better brain health.
Unfortunately, today’s kids are far less active than their parents and grandparents were as children. Today, active play has been mostly replaced with tablets, smartphones, and computer games. Parents who worry about safety and “stranger danger” also keep kids shut in their homes. Â
The result has been an epidemic of inactivity among children, which in turn has led to a decrease in children’s physical literacy. This is a serious problem because physical literacy is the foundation for living an active healthy life.Â
What is physical literacy?Â
Physical literacy is when kids have developed fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching, the confidence in using those skills, and a love for physical activity in general. From there, physical literacy gives them the foundation for lifelong activity and all the benefits that come with it. Â
When kids aren’t active on a regular basis, they don’t develop physical literacy. They may even suffer negative long-term health consequences and less opportunity to develop physical literacy due to physical deconditioning.Â
But today’s kids have physical bodies—just like their parents and grandparents—and they need those bodies to serve them for a lifetime. They need physical activity, and they need physical literacy, and they are more likely to remain physically active throughout their lives if they develop physical literacy early in life.
Where do kids use physical literacy?
Any child who decides to pursue an activity such as dance or play a sport needs physical literacy. However, it’s not just about sports and performance. Physical literacy is a part of basic life skills.Â
Apart from supporting dance, soccer, figure skating, hockey, or any one of a thousand other sports and physical activities, physical literacy is essential for many job careers and life activities.
Active play develops physical literacy, and physical literacy is an essential part of everyday life.
Carpenters need to balance on beams and swing hammers
Firefighters need to climb ladders and pull hoses
Nurses need to lift and move patients
Everyone needs to carry groceries
Walking on icy sidewalks takes balance
How can we encourage physical literacy?Â
We can support the development of physical literacy in early years centres by creating daily opportunities for unstructured active play. Unstructured active play encourages children to explore movement and problem solving on their own, which is essential for developing the cognitive and social components of physical literacy as much as the physical aspects.Â
If you are an early years educator or caregiver looking for ideas to promote active play for the children in your care, these activity videos provide suggestions from early years centres across Canada.Â
You might also like to look at these physical literacy checklists to see what kinds of movement skills are appropriate for children ages 0-6 years. (Keep in mind that physical literacy and movement skills may look different for children with disabilities.)Â
Physical literacy needs to be an integral part of early years education and care. If we help children in developing physical literacy, we give them a strong foundation for a lifetime of good health. Â
The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.
