Physical development
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework
The statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) says:
"Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives7. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and the practice of using small tools, with feedback and support from adults, allow children to develop proficiency, control and confidence"
The help for early years providers website, from the Department for Education, provides information, guidance and practical support for delivering the EYFS framework. Resources are split into 3 areas based on the educational programmes:
These resources will help you when reviewing your current curriculum to make sure you are meeting the requirement of the revised physical development area of learning.
As you make changes to your curriculum consider what you want children to learn first and plan opportunities for them to achieve this.
Training
Other training linked to physical development :
- Babies, toddlers and the great outdoors
- Developing your Curriculum Outdoors
- Dance, dance, dance (see EAD)
- Wellbeing for children (see PSED)
Publications
We've produced the following resources which you might find useful to support children’s literacy:
- Promoting physical development in the early years
- Physical development parents pack
- Physical development parents packs for children aged 0-2
- Delivering the curriculum outdoors
- Your child and the great outdoors – A parent's guide
- Developing effective outdoor learning environments
Visit the publications for sale page to view and order publications.
Tools
- Helping under-5s live active and healthy lives (Early Movers)
Practical ideas for physical activities to help with babies and young children's physical development - Physical activity guidelines (GOV.UK)
- Strategies to support Physical development Early years physical activities guidelines (NCSEM-EM) and NCSEM-EM practice briefing (PDF)
- Sensory food education - (Help for early years providers - GOV.UK) ways to support sensory food education
- Eat Better, Start Better (Foundation Years)
- Eating well early years (First Steps Nutrition Trust)
- Example menus for early years settings in England (GOV.UK) Public Health England have produced menu guidance for early years settings and a vast array of recipes
- Mealtimes (BBC tiny happy people) Supporting families with healthy eating ideas
- Safe sleeping guidance from the NHS Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (NHS) and Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome
Oral health information
Posters for parents and practitioners with a range of strategies to support oral health (available from EYFS consultancy team)
Additional relevant guidance includes government information on the introducing a toothbrushing scheme and how to keep a healthy mouth.
- Improving oral health: supervised tooth brushing programme toolkit on GOV.UK
Free training which promotes oral health messages in everyday practice and encourage families to practice good oral health behaviours at home. - Children's Oral Health | Online Training | GM Training Hub (gmthub.co.uk)
Further free training from the GM hub
Support for bowel and bladder conditions including a free helpline
Lancashire Quality Awards
Fully evaluate your practice and provision by undertaking the Lancashire Quality Awards LQA in Physical development.