Creating healthy, active kids
Physical literacy is developing the competence and confidence to move in variety of physical activities and environments. Like learning the alphabet is essential to reading and writing, learning movement skills and patterns as a child is essential to enjoying sports and activities for life.
When it comes to children’s programs and summer camps, PISE uses a combination of structured and unstructured play to help children learn to move to the best of their ability. We inspire creative movement exploration to play your way to:
- skill development
- fun, team work & cooperation
How do we do all that? Well, let’s start with confidence. By modifying games and activities so that they are appropriate for each child’s ability level, they ensure the child has fun and achieves success thus building confidence. With skill development it is important to understand that each person develops at different speeds and in different ways. By providing age appropriate size/type of equipment and space to play, then allowing time to explore movement and skills without the pressure of competition or time constraints, PISE fosters skill development in all kids, whether they are an experienced performer or being introduced to the movements for the first time.
Now fun, team work & cooperation naturally go together. How do we help these qualities develop? By ensuring that each child contributes to the outcome of the activity, has success and feels valued within the group, by playing games that require a collaborative effort and by using games and activities as a conduit for problem solving, conflict resolution and cooperation.
These same fun games and activities support the understanding of respect. PISE leaders present positive role models that demonstrate respect of each other and anyone in their care. Throughout the activities they teach the children how to respect themselves by understanding personal body cues and acknowledging when others need space or have other boundaries they need to respect. Inclusivity is learned first by experiencing children of all abilities and backgrounds engaging in the same activities. It is also learned through the leaders understanding that each child has a different barometer for success, then teaching and modifying for those differences. This results in each child feeling included and being aware of how to be inclusive.
Now, that was a lot to take in but it boils down to this: the people at PISE believe that physical activity improves overall well-being, emotionally, physically and mentally, that everyone, of every age and ability, deserves health and well-being and the best way to achieve this is to play your way through life!