Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education and Care (3 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Objective

The aim of the course is exploring the significance of physical activity in promoting the child's holistic growth and development and learning to plan and guide goal-oriented physical activity situations that support the child's participation with groups of children at early childhood education and care and pre-primary education age.

Competences:

Competence in social client work
Critical and Inclusive Social Skills

Intended learning outcomes:

You know how to work in a child-centered manner and support the child's growth and development in different environments in a goal-oriented manner, emphasising the importance of physical activity and exercise.

You know how to promote children's inclusion and opportunities for participation in physical activity situations.

Content

The core content of the course includes recommendations for children's physical activity and the objectives of physical activity in early childhood education and care. Additionally, forms of physical activity suitable for a child's level of development in different environments and an understanding of the impacts of physical activity on promoting a child's perceptual motor, motor, socio-emotional and cognitive skills. The course includes planning and guiding physically activity sessions for groups of children of day-care centre and preschool age.

Location and time

The classroom lessons are held in the Rajakatu campus gym.
Instruction sessions for children are held in kindergartens. The student chooses the groups to be supervised and the places of activity.

Materials

Will be announced at the beginning of the study period and in Moodle

Teaching methods

In this Course, we work together to play sports, games and different forms of exercise for early childhood children and study the theory of exercise by discussing, independently and teacher-led.
You will have two exercise classes in kindergarten. As a written assignment, you make an initial survey of your instructing group based on your visit to the kindergarten and make session plans. In the final seminar, you will present your learning experience to the rest of the group.

Employer connections

Instructing sessions on kindergaten and visits to childrens` sports club

Exam schedules

No exam

Completion alternatives

The course has no alternative methods of completion

Student workload

Contact lessons at Campus 1 Cr
Instructing children groups, planning, report and presentation 2 Cr

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

You understand the impacts of physical activity on improving a child's perceptual motor, motor, socio-emotional and cognitive skills. When planning physical activity situations, you describe their objectives and contents from the perspectives of supporting the child's holistic development and inclusion as well as equal participation.