Physical Education In Nursery And Infant Schools

PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE NURSERY AND INFANT SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE NURSERY AND INFANT SCHOOL PAULINE WETTON First published 1988 by Croom Helm Ltd This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” Reprinted by Routledge 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE © 1988 Pauline Wetton All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Wetton, Pauline Physical education in the nursery and infant school. 1. Physical education for children I. Title 372.8′6044 GV443 ISBN 0-203-98626-1 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-415-00543-4 (Print Edition) Contents Introduction 1. Curriculum and Planning 1 2. The Role of the Teacher 10 3. Health-Related Fitness 33 4. The Importance of Physical Play and Curriculum Content in Pre-schools 45 5. Gymnastics in the Infant School 71 6. Games in the Infant School 104 7. Dance in the Infant School 138 8. Classroom Activities in the Infant School 167 9. Swimming and Water Activities (age Three to Seven) 174 10. Children with Special Needs 183 11. Resources, Storage and Supplies 197 Index 207 Introduction The purpose of this book is to provide a text for students on initial teacher training courses and for those teachers of young children who have requested some guidelines in the teaching of physical education in pre-school play groups, nursery schools and infant schools. Information is given about the physical education curriculum based on the needs of children aged between three and seven. Guidance is given on the selection of activities and methods for the different age levels and lesson plans are suggested. One particular area of concern for teachers seems to be how to achieve progression in their work and I have therefore attempted to give details of activities in order of difficulty so that teachers can plan their work accordingly. I have also suggested both weekly and yearly programmes to give teachers some help in achieving a long-term perspective. However, it must be emphasised that any attempt to classify work in stages is only for convenience, as children mature at widely varying rates. This maturation is a result of many circumstances ranging from individual physical differences to diverse environmental backgrounds. It is obvious, for instance, that a four year old from a secure family on a garden housing estate will need a different starting point than a four year old who lives in a high-rise flat in a socially deprived area. But since both children come under the influence of the teacher, then the teacher’s role becomes highly significant. Thus one chapter of this book is devoted to the importance of the teacher’s role. Clearly, then, the focus of activity in physical education lessons is the child and the younger the child, the more the teacher, nursery nurse or auxiliary will need to concentrate on personalising and individualising the child’s experiences. Consequent