Running burns energy and boosts confidence. Early childhood educators can encourage children to run throughout the day. This will support their mental, emotional and gross motor development.
One of the best ways to encourage running is to run around the playground yourself! This may be the last thing you feel like doing, but you'll be an incredible role model and you may even enjoy yourself. How fast can you run? Can your children catch you?
EYLF Learning Outcomes
Running is a major physical movement learned in childhood (3.2) which aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework. Through running, children gain learning dispositions such as confidence, commitment, enthusiasm, and persistence (4.1).
Learning experiences
Run in different ways
- Change the speed: Sprint as fast as possible, maintain a steady pace during a jog, or run in slow motion.
- Change the movement: Use high knees, butt kicks, or skipping.
- Changedirection: Run on the spot, backwards, sideways, or in a zigzag.
- Change the location: Run on different surfaces such as grass, sand or gravel. Visit a local oval for a long run.
Play running games
Children can play running games, including:
- Tag
- Relay races
- Obstacle courses
- Duck, duck, goose
- What's the time, Mr Wolf?
Pretend you're a runner
Children who watch running competitions may become interested in the identity of runners. They can integrate the physical act of running into dramatic play by pretending they are:
- athletes at the Olympics
- animals running in the wild, like cheetahs
- escaping from imaginary creatures
- superheroes rushing to save the day
- or participants in a fun run or charity race.