Physical Education in Early Childhood by Rico-González, Markel;

Short description:

This book provides a scientific foundation for the design of physical education and movement education in early childhood, focusing on the developmentally significant stage between three and six years of age. This book is important reading for teacher educators, trainee teachers and in-service practitioners.

Long description:

This book provides a scientific foundation for the design of physical education and movement education in early childhood, focusing on the key development stage between 3 and 6 years of age.

Drawing on cutting-edge contemporary research, the book examines physical education as a process for promoting holistic development and well-being of young children and introduces developmental milestones across motor, cognitive, social and emotional competencies. It examines the evidence base in core areas including teaching strategies for each of the main competencies, health, and inclusion, and explores advanced topics in early years education as applied to movement, including the use of technology and artificial intelligence in early childhood.

This book is important for teacher educators, trainee teachers, and in-service practitioners with an interest in early years education, in general, and in physical education in early childhood, in particular.

Table of Contents:

Part I: Introduction  1. Introduction  2. Defining Physical Education or Psychomotricity in the Context of Early Childhood Education: Three Theoretical Approximations  Part II: Teaching by Competence  3. What Is Motor Competence? Definition, Distribution, and Abilities in Each Age Range  4. Interventions to Develop Preschool-Aged Children’s Motor Competence and Instrument for Its Evaluation  5. Physical Literacy  6. What Is Cognitive Competence? Definition, Distribution, and Milestones in Each Range  7. Interventions to Develop Preschool-Aged Children’s Cognitive Competence and Instrument for Its Evaluation  8. What Is Social Competence? Definition, Distribution, and Milestones in Each Age Range  9. Interventions to Develop Preschool-aged Children’s Social Competence and Instrument for its Evaluation  10. What is Emotional Competence? Definition, Distribution, and Milestones in Each Age Range  11. Interventions to Develop Preschool-Aged Children’s Emotional Competence and Instrument for Its Evaluation   12. Interventions to Develop Preschool-Aged Children’s Four Main Competencies  13. The Importance of Nature in Children’s Development  14. Nature-Based Interventions in Early Childcare and Education Settings to Develop Preschool-Aged Children’s Main Competencies  Part III: Health  15. The Importance of Caring Health in Preschool  16. The Effects of Physical Education-Based Interventions on Preschool Children’s Health-Related Factors  17. Are Children Performing the Same Level of Activity on Weekdays or on Weekends?  18. What are the Physical Education Guidelines for Preschoolers?  19. Are Preschoolers Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines?  20. Correlations With Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines in Preschool: An Analysis Based on Objective Measures  Part IV: Children with Special Educational Needs  21. Special Education Needs in Preschools: Types, Characteristics, and Needed Adaptations  22. Are Physical Education-Based Interventions Effective for Improving Motor, Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Competences of Preschool Children With Special Educational Needs?  23. Designing Inclusive Playgrounds  Part V: Methodologies  24. Free-Play or Unstructured Play: Definition and Interventions  25. Guided-Play or Structured Play: Definition and Interventions  26. Comparing Free-Play vs. Guided-Play: An Overview  27. The Montessori Education Model: What Does Science Say?  28. The Effects of Applying Different Constraints on Children’s Four Main Competencies  Part VI: The Relationship Between Physical Education in Preschool and the Sustainable Developmental Goals: Fostering Agenda 2030  29. What Is the Importance of Considering Sustainable Development Goals in Early Childhood: Agenda 2030, Goals, and Importance  30. Interventions to Develop the Sustainable Developmental Goals in Pre-schoolers’ Physical Education   Part VII: Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Early Childhood Education and Care  31. Positioning Technology and Microelectromechanical Systems in Early Childhood Education and Care  32. The AI in Early Childhood Education: Using Machine Learning for Decision Making and Resources for Learning AI