Physical Health & Growth
She is healthy, she is strong and she is active!
Before starting kindergarten, you may have noticed that she went to the restroom, ate and got dressed on her own. She knew about personal space and safety. She held writing tools appropriately and could create letters, shapes, symbols and maybe even words on her own. She could run, stop, hop, gallop, skip and change direction with fairly coordinated movement. Now that she’s in kindergarten, you’re seeing an exciting new skillset emerge.
Your Kindergartener
Your kindergartener is gaining new movements and skills. She’s understanding her body more completely, what is healthy and what is not and how to ask for what she needs. She’s recognizing healthy foods and making observations about the meals your family eats. She’s growing stronger and healthier each day, and you are a part of her journey.
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Watch Me Move
He’s not just walking, running and hopping. Now he’s leaping, galloping, sliding and skipping! He’s dancing to the rhythm of his favorite tunes. His balance is improving, and he’s beginning to bend, twist, turn, sway and stretch, moving his body in intentional ways while staying still. And when he’s not staying still, man is he moving! He can travel in different patterns at different speeds, zig zagging down the cul de sac, swirling through the living room and otherwise changing it up with his changing skills.
Look for Signs of Learning at Your Child's Care
Does your child’s provider offer lots of opportunities for movement? “Dylan, it’s time to run!” Your child has lots of energy to burn off, and it’s healthy to move his growing muscles regularly to build skills and form healthy habits, too.
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Watch What I Can Do
Is she ready for baseball and softball? Because she’s learning to throw underhand and overhand. She can catch larger balls more easily too, and she can even dribble a bit. Maybe basketball is in her future? She jumps rope on her own and with friends, especially when she sees how it’s done first!
Look for Signs of Learning at Your Child's Care
Look for a program that encourages your child to build new skills, on and off the playground. Does your child care provider play catch, offer jump ropes or otherwise allow children to practice these kindergarten skills?
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My Body, My Health
He is beginning to understand how his body works. He knows that physical activity is good for health and while some exercises are hard and others are fun, you can always make friends along the way! He’s starting to see that healthy decisions and behaviors prevent illness and injury. He is learning to communicate about his health needs and ask the right questions to learn more information. He is even setting health goals! “I will eat 3 fruits per day,” or “I will walk with family a few times a week.”
Look for Signs of Learning at Your Child's Care
Does your child care provider help children in her care make healthy choices? Look for a program that talks about healthy lifestyles and supports children in health goals.
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Food is Energy
Your kindergartener now knows that food becomes energy in her body, and she wants to fuel herself. She may ask more questions about what’s on her plate, leading to family conversations you’ve not had before. This is a normal part of her learning as she starts to make healthy decisions for herself.
Look for Signs of Learning at Your Child's Care
Does your child’s provider serve healthy meals and snacks? “Lucia, would you like an apple or a banana today?” Does she talk with children about what they’re eating, and encourage them to share their own family and cultural health practices, like eating beans and rice for dinner instead of spaghetti and meatballs? Programs should seek to understand and encourage a variety of healthy traditions.
Ideas to Learn and Play Together!
From playtime to bedtime, your child is always learning. Check out these family activities for building their skills, and your family connections. All children learn and grow at their own pace and in their own way. For more information about the skills and milestones for your child's age, check out our developmental milestones resource page.
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Get Outside
“Get on your feet!” is not just the title to a catchy song. It’s a lifestyle! Get outside. Walk around with your child. Dance under trees. Jump in fallen leaves. Go on a scavenger hunt for flowers of every color. Play Simon Says with movements in all directions. Jump rope! Play catch! Shoot baskets! Get outside, get moving and get active. Children need to move every day.
