Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Physical Wellness: The Relationship Between Motor Skill, Fitness And Physical Activity In Young Children, Beth P. Hands, Helen Parker

Health Sciences Conference Papers

The health benefits of adequate physical activity levels for children are well reported. However, we cannot assume that children will choose to be sufficiently active of their own accord. Motor competence and fitness are increasingly highlighted as key co-determinants of physical activity in young children (Hands, Parker, & Larkin, 2001) and where possible strategies to enhance these factors should be included in early childhood settings. However few studies have adopted an integrated view of the collective effects of these three factors on developing healthy children. This presentation explores interrelationships between measures of motor skill competence, fitness, and weekly physical activity …