14. Health and Safety
Learning Objectives
By the end of the chapter, you should be able to: Explain the importance of planning to support children’s physical development
- Describe the foundations in physical development that high quality programming support children in reaching
- Recognize sequences of physical development
- Advocate for active play
- Identify ways for educators to support physical development
- Summarize ways to engage families in curriculum for physical development
One way to foster healthy lifestyles is to encourage the development of health-promoting habits during early childhood. Preschool education about health can begin a lifelong process of learning about oneself, relationships to others, and the world. Preschool children’s experiences with their health and ways to improve it, both at home and in the early childhood setting, enhance their desire and ability to make healthy decisions throughout their lives.
The preschool health foundations describe the health knowledge, attitudes, habits, and behaviors that set the groundwork for all preschool children to develop into healthy adults. They explain what children should know about health, and what health habits and practices should be part of their daily routines when they are provided with high-quality health education in preschool. These skills and behaviors set young children on the path toward health and healthy lifestyle choices. [1]
- The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission ↵
