Physical development and physical activity play an important role in children’s health and development throughout their life. Physical development, including fundamental movement skills, perceptual–motor skills, movement concepts, and active play, provides the foundation for much of what preschool children do throughout the day. Children’s physical skills and involvement in physical activities allow them to interact with others, explore, learn, and play. 

In this interactive session, participants will learn more about the PTKLF Physical Development Domain:

The PTKLF in Physical Development are organized into three strands: Fundamental Movement Skills, Perceptual–Motor Skills and Movement Concepts, and Active Physical Play. Each strand has three sub-strands, which provide more detail on the development within that strand.

• Fundamental Movement Skills: This strand covers milestones in the development of balance, or the stability of the body across contexts, locomotor skills, also known as gross motor skills (large body movements, such as climbing on a play structure), and manipulative skills, also known as fine motor skills (controlled, fine movements of the hands, such as drawing with a crayon).

• Perceptual–Motor Skills and Movement Concepts: This strand includes skills centered on the relationship between the senses and the body moving through space. Young children also develop perceptual skills related to their body in space and the development of strength and endurance needed for physical play and activity.

• Active Physical Play: This strand covers how children participate in movement activities, the relations between cardiovascular function and play, and how children develop muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility in their movements.