Children are built to move. Their love of moving—and their instinctive capacity to crawl, run like the wind, bound, climb countless trees, or just giggle infectiously due to the invigorating power of moving—is contagious. In fact, children in their early years are more active then at any other time in their lives.
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Alarming statistics
The World Health Organization has reported that childhood obesity is epidemic in some regions. Worldwide there are an estimated 22 million children under the age of five identified as being overweight. Children’s body mass index (BMI)—used to determine if people are at a healthy weight, overweight or obese—is increasing by 0.8 per cent a year. Despite being the land of wide open plains and blue skies, Australia isn’t exempt from these statistics. With 30 per cent of Australian children having low fitness levels, and 60 per cent having moderate to poor motor skills (Timperio, Salmon & Ball, 2004), clearly the issue of childhood obesity and fitness crosses all boundaries.
Contributing factors
There are many aspects in the twenty-first century that contribute to childhood obesity and lack of fitness. These include smaller backyards, society’s preoccupation with food, lack of time, overscheduled children, sedentary lifestyles, negative attitudes to exercise, larger food-portion sizes, an absence of breastfeeding, and society’s insatiable appetite for over-processed foods. Clearly, it is not one single factor but a collection of contributing lifestyle-related factors which contributes to these alarming statistics.
A collective solution
Alongside families, the global community, early childhood services and schools need to take shared responsibility for finding a solution—and should do so in a creative and collective way. Clearly, a multi-pronged approach is required to address the health and fitness of our society, and in particular that of our young children. We all need to accept some of the responsibility for addressing this serious, and global, issue.
Catching a moment to move
There is compelling evidence that suggests that children who live active and healthy lives are more likely to reach their full potential and have a greater chance of being active and healthy adults. One significant way to address this problem is to be proactive in finding opportunities to move with young children: ‘catching a moment to move’.
| Massage |
A wonderful opportunity to move with young children is through the vehicle of massage. Much has been written about infant massage, with most outlining the benefits for bonding and attachment, digestion and relaxation (Heath & Bainbridge, 2004). However, there are three other huge benefits of infant massage: brain stimulation, supporting movement and motor development. Massage can be easily integrated into daily routines—after a bath or nappy change, at sleep time, and at play time. Massage is a great opportunity for ‘catching a moment to move’. Massage can promote a child’s body awareness, contribute to the toning of muscle, increase flexibility and connect mind with body movements.
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What we need to do is find moments in a busy day to move and have fun—whether it is at home, in child care centres, in kindergartens or at school. It is about making the most of every spare minute and finding clever ways of maximising these times as opportunities to move, and for children to get in and out of movement before they know it’s even exercise! The philosophy behind ‘catching a moment to move’ emphasises the interconnectedness of children’s physical development and the need to integrate fun movement experiences into children’s daily lives.
| Dancing |
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Dancing is a great way to move with young children. During the day, put on some funky music with a great beat and move with infants and toddlers. To dance physically with infants, especially if they are too young to move on their own, is a great way for children to develop a sense of beat and rhythm and, most of all, an association of moving with fun. A moving session doesn’t have to last long and can be done several times a day. If you are in a room with older children at the same time, encourage them to dance as well. If you are having fun, it will definitely be contagious. You could also incorporate ribbon sticks or instruments with older babies.
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There are many reasons why infant movement experiences are more important than for any other age group of children. Not only are early moving experiences the key to optimum brain development, but many infants in modern times are ‘containerised’—being often confined to cots, highchairs, prams and car seats (Pica, 2000; 2004). Add to this that in many early childhood services—because of room size and the number of children in care, which impacts on the amount of time carers are able to spend with each individual child—many children may not be getting the movement they require, or have the space to move freely. For this reason, it is important to add moments of movement into a young child’s day.
| Nappy aerobics |
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‘Nappy aerobics’ (moving with very young children, birth–two years) is another wonderful way to support infant and young toddler movement. The change table offers a great opportunity for ‘catching a moment to move’ in a child’s day. After changing the infant (preferably while the child is free from restrictive clothing) carers can strengthen muscles for crawling and walking while the baby is lying on her or his back. Moving with young children, as well as strengthening the muscles in the legs, can be achieved by performing bicycle movements (gently moving legs like riding a bicycle); bending knees and gently straightening and lengthening infants’ legs; and also flexing feet and toes. To improve and support stability, and strengthen the body, gently roll the child over on one side and then the other by holding the torso and shoulders. Ensure that you never force any of these movements. These experiences should be pleasurable and fun moments for you and the infant.
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Although long-term strategies are essential for addressing childhood obesity and health, our children need our support now. And our efforts should be holistic in addressing these issues. Developing a love of movement and creating non-threatening environments which support movement contribute to this strategy. Part of the solution should really be about making the most of every spare minute of the day and finding clever ways of maximising these times as opportunities to move! So get up and ‘catch a moment’ soon!
Alice Brown
Faculty of Education
University of Southern Queensland
Email: browna@usq.edu.au
References
Heath, A., & Bainbridge, N. (2004). Baby massage: The calming power of touch. London: Dorling Kindersley.
Pica, R. (2000). Moving and infants. www.webhealthcentre.com/general/yc_inf_movement.asp.
Pica, R. (2004). Experiences in movement: Birth to age eight. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.
Timperio, A., Salmon, J., & Ball, K. (2004). Evidence-based strategies to promote physical activity among children, adolescents and young adults: Review and update. Physical Activity: Supplement to Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 7(1), 21.
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