What We Do
Active Movement
The Canterbury West Coast Sports Trust is no longer offering the Active
Movement Information Sessions or Resources.
You can download the resources from the SPARC website www.sparc.org.nz.
Should you have any queries please contact Sport Canterbury (03) 373 5060
You can learn why movement is vital to healthy development, and get lots of ideas and resources for getting your under-five year old moving. Active movement is important for the healthy development of a child's brain - young children learn from movement and being physically active. Active movement also discourages health problems such as diabetes and obesity, and helps build tomorrow's athletes.
Active movement is just as important for newborns as it is for older children. By helping your child to get active, you help their body to develop, you help them to learn and to feel safe, and you show them they are loved.
This initiative was developed by SPARC and is responsible for the delivery/training of the Active Movement programme to parents, teachers and trainee teachers.
Active Movement Resources
SPARC has developed a series of resources that assist with providing activity ideas on how to get 0-5 year olds participating in quality movement experiences. Endorsed by the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, GymSports NZ, Barnardos, the Ministry of Health, the National Heart Foundation, the Cancer Society, and Swimming NZ - the Active Movement resources show you how easy it is to incorporate quality physical activity into your children's lives right now - from balancing to walking, tummy time to climbing.
Active Movement helps your child to:
- Develop intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually, as well as physically
- Build the foundations for learning, moving and communicating
- Be healthy and happy, confident and feel loved
Policy and Research
The 'Introduction to Active Movement/Koringa Hihiko' resource explains the crucial role movement plays in human development.
It's written specifically for people involved with children in their early years - educationalists, recreation providers and parents/caregivers. This booklet is also available in Te Reo, Samoan, Tongan and Chinese.
Active Movement Activity Guides for Under Fives (in a box set)
Click here to order the Active Movement resources, which include a box set of 14 booklets & 2 DVDs.The Activity Guides have practical ideas and games that use little or no equipment. Each set of Activity Guides includes fourteen brochures that cover different areas of development for children aged new born to 5 years. This set is available in Te Reo, Chinese, Samoan and Tongan and are free of charge.
Use the Active Movement brochures to find ideas and information on how to get your infant, toddler or young child moving. Below is a brief description of what each of the 14 booklets in the box set looks at.
- Active Movement: An Introduction
In this brochure you'll find out more about Active Movement, how to encourage your children to become more active and the importance of play.
- Sun, Safety and Nutrition
This brochure explains why it's important to be careful in the sun and how to use sunscreen properly. It also includes helpful information on other issues like smoke-free environments, nutrition and safety.
www.cancersouth.org.nz
www.watersafety.org.nz
www.nhf.org.n
www.vegetables.co.nz
www.moh.govt.nz
www.5aday.co.nz
www.cph.co.nz
www.feedingourfutures.org.nz
www.watties.co.nz
- Developing Hands and Fingers
This brochure explains why developing hands and fingers is important for fine motor tasks and includes fun activities for newborns and infants, toddlers and young children. It is important that the body is strong so that fine motor skills can develop, these do take time, perseverance and plenty of practice.
- Developing Self-esteem
Being an active role model is a fantastic way to help in developing your child's self esteem. This brochure clarifies the importance of children having a happy and confident start to life, and includes fun activities for you do with your children. Allow children to succeed so that they want to repeat/practice the activity.
- Walking, Running and Jumping
Allowing your child to walk in their own time is important. This brochure looks at encouraging the fundamental skills of locomotion and gives ideas to enhance your child's development.
- Developing Language
Physical activity helps improve language development. It's as simple as discussing colours, shapes, sounds, body parts, direction while your child is being active. Children take in a vast amount of information when they are doing simple tasks, such as walking to the park.
- Massage and Touch
Infants learn from touch, and this brochure describes how massage is good for you and your child. Massage is great for bonding and has a calming affect. From dough and slime to water and sand, it’s all great for little and not so little hands. Different textured household items which are cheap and safe to use, are great for your children to explore, with not just their hands but feet and tummy, head and back. Ensure items are washable.
- Eyes Need to Move Too!
Strong development of the eyes starts at birth. This skill is vital for children to eye track objects, whether it be bubbles, balls or reading a book. Having strong eyes also helps with visualization and imaginative skills. This brochure gives some great ideas that are cheap and effective for eye development.
- Upper Body Development
A child's good upper body strength comes from spending time holding their own body weight. Activities such as crawling, climbing and hanging from bars develop these muscles which will extend to their hands and fingers.
- Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays
Music is a fantastic way for children to develop/understand language, body parts, beat, rhythm and the world in which they live. Muscle development is gained when children dance and move to music. Action songs are fun; however the radio is just as good and permits children to move independently, this also allows for individuality. This brochure has simple songs you can sing with children of all ages.
- Tummy Time, Rolling and Crawling
This brochure explains how these movements are a vital part of our children's development. Allowing time on the floor, when baby is awake promotes strong neck muscles, upper body development and relives the head of pressure that incurs now children sleep on their backs. Tummy time, rolling and crawling furthers independence, spatial awareness and the brain body connections.
- Balance
Movement such as swinging, spinning and rocking helps develop your child's sense of balance. This brochure explains why balance is important and includes fun activities for newborns and infants, toddlers and young children. Swinging, spinning, rocking and being upside down are all very comforting for children, to fully appreciate these activities they must be done slowly with little ones, and spinning needs to be done in both directions.
- Catching, Throwing and Kicking
This brochure explains why playing with a ball and other moving objects is important. Hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, timing, balance and depth perception mature and repetition of these are essential for the continuing development of manipulation skill acquisition. Inside there are plenty of fun and cheap ideas to play with all ages of children.
- Using the Environment
Being active outside adds oxygen and endorphins to the blood and these help to develop happy, bright children. The activities in this brochure make full use of the environments cheap and educational value. Ensure your child is safe and they will enjoy the benefits of the out doors.
www.ccc.govt.nz
www.activecanterbury.org.nz
Active Movement videos
- What's the link between movement and learning?
- What activities are appropriate at my child's age?
Learn from SPARC's Active Movement Advisor Gill Connell.
Gill recommends activities for children in the different age groups under 5, and shows you how you can get your child moving - and consequently, learning.
The segments are from the 'Nought to Five' TV series that screened in 2006.
Partners
Active Movement in Water
Active Movement in Water is an early childhood initiative that aims to raise awareness of the importance of a holistic approach to early childhood aquatics.
Active Movement in Water is a national campaign that was launched in early 2007.
It is a joint partnership between SPARC and Swimming New Zealand. The programme is supported by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, early childhood education organisations, Plunket, the National Heart Foundation, the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA), WaterSafe Auckland and New Zealand Swim Coaches and Teachers (NZSCAT).
Other Recommended Websites
Barnados - www.barnardos.org.nz
Brainwave Trust - www.brainwave.org.nz
DIY Father - www.diyfather.co.nz
SPARC - www.sparc.org.nz
Pregnancy and Activity / Parents to Be - Ante Natal
Whether you are already fit and would like to maintain your healthy habits, or maybe you see pregnancy as a time to develop a more healthy lifestyle. Whatever your situation, being fit will help you feel well and relaxed during pregnancy and labour, and speed your recovery after the birth.
Moderate physical activity taken regularly during pregnancy is safe and beneficial for most women.
This brochure covers the benefits, the risks, activities, sports to avoid and after the birth.
Most providers of Parenting Classes look at an Active Movement DVD, at some point during the course. You will be given details of the Active Movement Advisor in your area that can send you an Active Movement Pack (box set of brochures and 2 DVDs).
The Active Movement Action Pack
A kit designed for toy Libraries with a series of cards and a bag of equipment (mini hurdles, a jump sack, balls and a scooter board, to name just a few), introducing Active Movement to many rural homes in the Canterbury West Coast Region.
Active Movement Action Packs consist of various practical activity equipment and 36 activity cards that aim to help parents increase their child's fundamental movement skills and encourage the holistic development of the child. These are available through Sport Canterbury and cost $250. These cards can be bought separately for $40.
Parents
Whether you find out about Active Movement from your midwife, Well Child Provider, a friend or an Early Childhood Centre, it's all relevant.
Active Movement ideas, activities and games are for children "newborn and infant, toddler and young child" and use little or no equipment or things you can find at home.
Active Movement raises awareness of the importance of movement in the early years of life and how positive movement experiences are essential for helping a child to reach their full potential.
Opportunities for Active Movement from birth are essential for brain connections and development. These connections are vital for memory, sensory development, and communication between the two sides of the brain, processing information, participation in the arts and later for formal learning of reading, writing and maths.
Opportunity, time and practice are basic and vital requirements to achieve and ensure that Active Movement is developed in every child's play.
Information Sessions
Parent groups such as Plunket, ante natal coffee groups, or playgroups are given practical ideas and information about the importance of children reaching their developmental milestones.
Parents whose children attend a centre are able to ask for a parent information evening that helps them understand the importance of Active Movement and Play in their child's centre.
Teachers
Is your centre ...?
- Wanting Staff Training in why the games/activities you do are vital for child development?
- Wanting information on brain/body connections, and how certain activities promote these links?
- Needing ideas for existing equipment?
- Unsure what equipment to buy?
- Wanting to hire equipment from Sport Canterbury?
- Looking at upgrading/changing your playground?
- Wanting options of safety surface or contacts for fixed or moveable equipment?
- Wanting to add child development information to the children learning stories?
- Needing research based play information for parents?
- Wanting to know "what is ready for school"?
- Doing the Healthy Heart Award?
- Needing information on why play is such an important stage in children's lives?
If you answered YES to any of these, then contact your Active Movement Advisor for more information or to book a workshop. Training and resources are free.
Tertiary Students
Weather you are centre, college based, or getting qualification through distance learning. Year 1, 2 or 3, training is available for you. We work with New Zealand College of Early Childhood Education, Rangi Ruru Early Childhood College, Christchurch College of Education, ATC - Vision College, NZCA and Tai Poutini Polytechnic, training students in the importance of children being physically active and how this promotes the brain development of a child. The training includes both theory and practical components based on the students' understanding and practical placements. Resources are available to all who attend the sessions.