The early years are the right time to begin developing physical literacy. Through active exploratory play, children begin to develop the essential motor skills for lifelong physical activity and health. Early years educators can follow the links below to find resources for developing physical literacy.
Physical Literacy
What exactly is physical literacy? These graphics make it easy to understand.
Activities
Get kids moving and developing physical literacy with these resources:
- Activities for 0 to 3 year old children
- Activities for kids and parents (1-12 years)
- Lesson plans and videos (3-12 years)
- Lesson plan units (3-12 years)
- Interactive lesson plan builder (3-12 years)
Educate parents
Educate parents about physical literacy and promote your physical literacy programs using these resources:
Share translated resources
Help newcomers to Canada by sharing our resources and posters translated in 9 more languages.
Share our translated resources
Connect parents with Active for Life
Help your parent community to get their family more active, more often by inviting them to:
- Follow AfL social media:
- Join our Facebook group: Active at Home
- Subscribe to our newsletter
Share articles with parents and educators
Need content for your newsletter or web site? You are welcome to reprint our stories if you follow our guidelines.
A few favorites:
- How to get your kids to spend more time moving with a simple recipe called physical literacy
- Child-led nature play
- Executive function is the key to success in school
- Why teaching kids how to move has become essential
- Active play experiences help young children develop physical literacy
- The mental health benefits of free play
- For early years educators: Physical literacy can be easy
- How to be a lifeguard parent
- How to keep screen time in check
Professional development
Stay current with these articles and resources:
- Proof of Concept Study: Physical Literacy in the Early Years
- Overall Results
- Qualitative Findings
- Changes in educators’ practice
- Observed benefits for children
- Benefits reported by educators
- ECE articles and webinars on brain development, early physical literacy, and more.
- Twitter for professionals
- Subscribe to our Professional newsletter below
Spread the word
Help spread the word about physical literacy by putting the following images on your blogs, webpages, and social media channels:
Get more resources
See these links to more online resources for physical literacy, education, and disabilities.
Tell other educators about Active for Life
Introduce other educators to Active for Life and physical literacy by sharing this early years handout.
Contact us
To talk with us directly about our resources or sharing our content, please contact Liz Smeaton.