In St Paul's this year, we decided to focus on the fundamental movement skill of running. As part of our SSE in wellbeing for the year, we had looked for parental feedback about activity in our school. We had an Active Walkway of sorts, however it required the children to travel across the pitch, which was often damp and mucky. We had decided to employ builders to dig a path along the side of the pitch making our walkway fully tarmacked/concrete the whole way around.
The children running laps was a great use of the Walkway and this was what prompted us to focus on it as our skill.
In initial assessments, we found the children to be looking all around the place while running. In fact, this was also causing crashes and falls in yard as the children simply weren't looking where they were going. We were focused on getting the children to look straight ahead and focus on themselves as opposed to what their neighbour was doing.
We incorporated high knees into warm up sessions to try to get the children to learn to pump their legs more while running. After this we focused on their arms as most had no idea what to do with them while running!
When we first introduced running laps of the pitch with the children, we had many reluctant runners. There were many who ran half a lap or so and then were walking to the end. We introduced lollipops as a means to count laps and their competitive natures spurred them on to do more and more. While we noticed an increase in speed in many children, by far the biggest change was in stamina and endurance.
Also, with the pitch being accessible from both yards, children are allowed to run extra laps during their yard time should they so choose.
We awarded certificates to our most improved runners from each class.
The children running laps was a great use of the Walkway and this was what prompted us to focus on it as our skill.
In initial assessments, we found the children to be looking all around the place while running. In fact, this was also causing crashes and falls in yard as the children simply weren't looking where they were going. We were focused on getting the children to look straight ahead and focus on themselves as opposed to what their neighbour was doing.
We incorporated high knees into warm up sessions to try to get the children to learn to pump their legs more while running. After this we focused on their arms as most had no idea what to do with them while running!
When we first introduced running laps of the pitch with the children, we had many reluctant runners. There were many who ran half a lap or so and then were walking to the end. We introduced lollipops as a means to count laps and their competitive natures spurred them on to do more and more. While we noticed an increase in speed in many children, by far the biggest change was in stamina and endurance.
Also, with the pitch being accessible from both yards, children are allowed to run extra laps during their yard time should they so choose.
We awarded certificates to our most improved runners from each class.
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