Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/overcome-resistance-to-the-m-word-and-make-movement-part-of-the-program/5022559/
When I first began my journey as an early childhood consultant specializing in physical activity, I imagined everyone would be as excited as I was about the possibilities inherent in exploring movement with young children. Instead I found that all too often, upon hearing the words ‘children’ and ‘movement’ in the same sentence, early childhood professionals backed away from me as though I was a dentist with a drill in hand!
Thirty-five-plus years later, attitudes have mostly improved. Due to the efforts of organizations like NAEYC, the childhood obesity epidemic, and brain research demonstrating a strong link between moving and learning, early childhood professionals have become increasingly aware of the value of physical activity. It’s even possible that the push toward academics and away from play in early childhood has contributed to that awareness. With children now more sedentary than ever, teachers and caregivers are witnessing for themselves how detrimental it is for children when they don’t move.
However, the movement message still isn’t welcomed with open arms. ECE professionals may better understand the value of physical activity, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re chomping at the bit to facilitate movement experiences. Over the years I’ve encountered four principle reasons why. Listed here, ...