Table 1 Key components in active early: a Wisconsin guide for improving childhood physical activity
Component | Content summary | Example activities and tips |
|---|---|---|
1. Development | • Physical development  o Gross motor skills  o Fine motor skills • Brain development • Language development | Animal Movements: children move like their favorite animal while music is playing (e.g. walk like a crab or hop like a bunny) Tip: talk about movements using vocabulary that will help children understand their activities |
2. Child Assessment | • Tools to assess child development • Documentation of child assessments • Action steps | Follow the Leader: have older children lead different activities so caregivers can observe the skills of younger children Tip: have an older child teach a new physical activity or gross motor skill to a younger child |
3. Daily Routines | • Schedules • Transition times • Lesson planning | Active Clean Up: during clean up time, have children use a different traveling skill, such as walking fast, hopping, or jumping, as they put away materials Tip: try a few teacher-led physical activities at the end of outdoor play as a way to make transitions smoother |
4. Environment | • Indoor space • Outdoor space | Balancing: explore balancing at both high and low levels. High-level positions include standing on tip-toe, on tip-toes with both feet and knees bent; on tip-toes with eyes closed. Low-level positions include balancing on two hands and one knee, one hand and two knees, etc. Tip: make dramatic play more active by providing materials for movement such as scarves or have children act out being an aerobics or yoga instructor |
5. Resources | • Physical activity curriculums • Equipment • Materials • Books, websites • Assessment tools | Activity: research the Active Early Guide suggested physical activity curriculums; make a list of equipment and materials needed, etc. Tip: to minimize costs, use resources such as public libraries or state Child Care Information Centers |
6. Business Practices | • Policy definitions • Types of policies • Policy development | Policies can help to:  • Create consistent messages for staff, parents, and licensing officials  • Provide clear guidelines for staff members and families  • Provide basis for evaluation of program and identify areas for improvements Tip: policies set the stage for best practices; but remember that a policy is only as good as its implementation! |