Chalkwell Hall
Infant School
Physical Development
Physical Development
Gross Motor Skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and will be the initial focus for our physical development opportunities when children join us in their reception year.
Daily activity times in our outside area, where they have access to larger scale tools and equipment, enable the children to develop their core strength, balance and coordination. They are encouraged to build obstacle courses using planks, crates and blocks as well as experiment with stilts and wobble boards. Children can also develop their mark making on our large Perspex painting boards and outdoor chalk boards. Alongside this, a daily indoor physical development session provides an additional opportunity for the children to work around a carousel of activities such as:
- Tummy drawing
- Crab walking
- Plank
- Bunny hops
- Bench walking
Every week the children participate in our “Physical Friday” afternoon on the large playground where they are able to enhance their skills using equipment such as balance bikes, trikes, skipping ropes and large balls.
At Chalkwell our daily “Funky Fingers” sessions have a specific focus on developing fine motor skills. Carefully planned activities will include cutting for scissor control; peg and peg boards, tweezers, threading and malleable materials such as play dough. These sessions provide opportunities for the children to practise using small tools, to receive feedback and support from adults allowing them to develop proficiency, control and confidence. Every day the children also take part in “Big Write”, a short fun burst of mark making to develop pencil control and precision. The initial focus is on pencil grip and the formation of different types of lines or shapes progressing to individual letter formation.
