Athletics Fun

 

This term we have been focusing on running, jumping and throwing as part 

of our physical education programme. Athletics is more than just running 

fast or throwing far, it's about moving your body in different ways. 

The focus for us in Tautoru has been mastering or improving our fundamental 

movement skills.  These are the building blocks for all sports and physical 

activity later in life.  

It is so rewarding to see children rolling down grass banks, 

galloping like horses, throwing balls across fields or in quiet lanes 

alongside the neighbourhood kids of similar ages.  We see kids racing 

around the playground, playing tag and kicking balls and we know life is very different 

and for a variety of reasons.  Just like reading, writing and maths,  

kids still need many learning and teaching opportunities to work out how 

their bodies can move in different ways. Just for fun we threw some creativity 

and fun into our relay races to cover some of the other fundamental movements 

such as  jumping, hopping, landing, galloping, side stepping and crawling.  

The kids even did the 'grapevine'. 

Deliberate teaching gives us the opportunity to teach or fine tune our 

throwing and catching skills.  Throwing requires some good hand eye co-ordination.  

We need to line up where we think our ball, quote or vortex needs to go.  

Now that is a challenge in itself !  We talked lots about how our bodies help 

the momentum of the object being thrown. We can not stand stationery. 

We have to use our whole bodies, following through on the throw. 

The same applied to our jumping.  Our bodies, arms and legs needed to move 

together to propel us forward.  We had some budding scientists that had lots of 

wonderings and questions about this. Being out in the fresh air was the best 

start to our day.