Unit 5: Preschool Physical Development

 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

 PHYSICAL GROWTH

 GROSS and FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

 ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT

 NUTRITION and SLEEP

Ideas about Physical Development of Preschooler

◦ There are significant changes in physical growth.

◦ Physical development is marked by the acquisition of gross and fine motor skill.

◦ They can express themselves artistically at a very early age.

◦ Proper nutrition and the right amount of sleep are very important.

◦ Caregivers and teachers can do a lot in maximizing the growth and development.

◦ Preschoolers with special needs in inclusive classrooms can thrive well with the
appropriate adaptations made in the classrooms; materials and activities.

Significant changes in Physical Growth

◦ The trunk, arms, and legs become longer

◦ 5 or 6 months is the best time to begin learning skills that require balance

◦ “baby or milk” teeth are already in place.

◦ Preschooler year are therefore a time to instill habits of good dental hygiene.

Gross and Fine Motor Development

 Development refers to acquiring skills that involve the large muscles

 Gross motor skills are categorized into three: locomotor, non-locomotor, and
manipulative skills.

 LOCOMOTOR – are running, climbing, skipping, hopping, crawling,

galloping and dodging.
  NON-LOCOMOTOR – are those where the child stays in place, like
bending, stretching, turning, and swaying.

 MANIPULATIVE SKILLS – are those that involve projecting and

receiving objects, like throwing, striking, bouncing, catching, and
dribbling.

Physical skills from Philippine early learning and development standards (ELDS)

 GROSS MOTOR (36-48 months / 3 to 4 years)

◦ Hops 1 to 3 on preferred foot

◦ Skips (with alternating feet)

◦ Jumps and turns

◦ Stand on one leg without falling for at least 5 seconds

◦ Throws a ball overhead with control of direction

◦ Throws a ball overhead with control of speed.

◦ Kicks a ball with controls of speed.

 Fine Motor - Refers to acquiring the ability to use the smaller muscles in the arm,
hands, and fingers purposefully.

◦ Fine Motor skills (36-48 months / 3 to 4 years)

◦ Consistently turns pages of a picture or story book

◦ Purposefully copies a diagonal lines

◦ Purposefully bisects a cross

◦ Purposefully copies a square

◦ Purposefully copies a triangle

◦ Cuts with scissors following a line

 44-60 months / 3 to 5 years)

◦ Copies a simple pattern of different shapes

◦ Draw a human figure (head, eyes, mouth, trunks, arms, legs, etc.) without
prompts
 ◦ Draws a house without prompts using geometric forms.

◦ Colors with strokes staying within the lines

Preschoolers Artistic Development

 Viktor Lowenfeld studied that at the heart of the preschooler years is that their interests
are to draw and make other forms of artistic expression.

◦ STAGES OF DRAWING

 STAGES 1 – Scribbling Stage. This stage begins with large zigzag lines
which later become circular marking.

 STAGE 2 – Schematic Stage. Children at this stage tend to give the same
names to their drawings.

 STAGE 3 – Schematic Stage. More elaborate scenes are depicted.

Drawings may include houses, trees, sun, sky and people.

Preschoolers Nutrition and Sleep

 It is important for preschoolers to get sufficient amount of rest and sleep.

 During sleep, especially in the dreams state (Rapid Eye movement stage or REM sleep),
growth hormones are released.

 Blood supply to the muscles are likewise increased helping preschoolers regain energy.

 While dreaming, increased brain activity is also attained.