Physical development

Young children’s bodies are developing almost as fast as their brains at this age and if given the chance, they are constantly learning new skills, such as how to pick up sequins or thread a necklace or larger coordination skills such as how to hop on one leg or reverse a bike.

At the Children’s Ark the children go outside every day and we have a large variety of equipment and games that we play to help in this area of development – climbing frames, bikes, balls, hoops, tunnels, balancing beams, for example.

Indoors, the children learn to cut their own fruit, spread their own butter, do up their own zips, make patterns with the peg boards or use the wood work tools. Part of physical development is also being able to take care of themselves dressing and undressing, washing hands, going to the toilet and understanding what is good for us i.e. exercise, sleep, healthy food.