Active Movement, a Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) initiative for children under five  is about engaging in quality physical movement experiences, which develop and enhance the growth of the child.  Early childhood experiences of quality physical movement strongly affect the healthy development of a child's brain - as well as their body. 

On this page you will find; 

• Information for parents.        
• Training/Workshops.
• Community news.
• Latest blogs.
• Resources.

Information for parents

Key concepts for Active Movement are:

• Movement and balance.
• Movement and touch.                            
  
• Movement and vision.
• Nurturing active children.

Read more...

SPARC has some great ideas for parents including activities to try around the home and outdoors

• Visit SPARC's Push Play Parents page.

 Training/Workshops   

We provide training to teachers, parents, tertiary students and service providers who work with children five and under. Training covers the 14 activity guides and can also be tailored to suit particular groups.  Our trainings and workshops are designed to assist you as you strive to engage 0-5 year olds in quality movement experiences, providing both theoretical and practical information.

• View workshops available. 

Individual workshops for groups, centers and parents can be provided.  Whether you are a teacher wanting to up skill or hold a session in conjunction with a parents evening, or a group of parents wanting an excuse to get together, we can design a workshop that is right for you.  If you are interested in holding an Active Movement workshop please contact us.

Community news

Teaching a child to ride a bike

One of the many tasks parents must undertake is teaching their children to ride bicycles. Your three-wheeling rev head is ready to upgrade from trike to bike, but how do you help them make the transition? Do you invite physiotherapy bills by clinging to the back of their bike as they pedal along, do you attempt to fit training wheels, or do you find a grassy slope and let them go? Check out our tips page on "Teaching a Child to Ride a Bike".

Newsletter

The Active Movement Newsletter has great tips and ideas on how to get children moving.

• View the latest issues.

Equipment

We have a great range of equipment for hire suitable for your child, including; soft foam shapes, balance beams, moon hoopers and scooter boards.  

• View the equipment library.

Try, fail and try again - it is a concept missing for many children as political correctness cloaks the globe.  "Be careful you might fall.'  How many times have you said the above phrase to your children?  Did you know you could be hindering their development by using these phrases. Read more. 

We learn best when we are having fun. Play, more than any other activity, fuels healthy development of children. Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play allows children to try out and practice new skills. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Read more.

Being active doesn't just help kids to be healthy; it is vital if they are to reach their potential - intellectually, mentally and socially.  Movement teaches children about their bodies - it helps them explore and discover new things.  Movement helps a child's brain to make connections, it helps them develop language, memory and self-esteem. Read more.  

Pregnancy offers a great reason to become more active, even if you've never exercised before.  Exercise can help lessen the backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling associated with pregnancy. Read more.

Resources

An outline of the programme and explanation of the philosophy behind Active Movement. Download outline.

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 0-5 years. 

• Visit the SPARC website to download activity guides

These DVD's feature some great ideas for having fun with your little ones while aiding their learning from new beginnings to getting ready for school.  If you would like to order a FREE copy please contact us.