Move more, move better, move forever

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There’s a revolution going on in kids’ sport.

Research shows there’s a right way and a right time to develop the fundamental movement skills and fundamental sport skills that benefit kids for their whole lives. Just as important, we’ve learned that by making the process fun for kids, they will stay active and have greater chances to become top-level athletes.

Because kids who have fun being active are more likely to stay active for life.

A different kind of literacy

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Just as children need to be taught to read and write, they need to be taught how to run, jump and throw. After all, movement is a child’s first language, and our ability to move is the most fundamental means we have of interacting with our world. It’s called physical literacy.

To develop physical literacy, there are certain fundamental movement skills and fundamental sport skills our children need to learn the right way, at the right time during their development. These skills include movements such as running, jumping, hopping, balancing, throwing and swimming.

If any of these skills aren’t developed properly, future development is restricted. Children may be excluded from many sports and activities later in life. But give a child a strong foundation of movement skills and they’ll be ready to learn more complex movements and sport skills when the time is right. 

Quality by design

The key to quality sport and physical activity is to design programs with the athletes in mind, whatever their age. That means doing the right thing, at the right time and in the right way.

  • FUNdamentals first

Younger children benefit from participating in a variety of activities in which they learn a full range of fundamental movement skills. More complex sport skills should only be added to their repertoire when their bodies are ready. Plus participation should always be fun.

  • Focus on child development

Because not all four-year-olds are the same – some children mature earlier, some a bit later – a child’s skill progression should be dictated by their physical, mental and emotional development, not their chronological age.

  • Child small, not adult large

Children are not little adults, so they shouldn’t be participating in sports adults would. Kids benefit from equipment, playing fields and modified games that are scaled to their size.

  • Practice, practice, fun

The more they get to participate – the more they get to touch the ball or puck – the quicker children improve their skills. This means smaller team sizes are best. And practices are more important than games. When players can have their own puck or ball they develop their skills much faster, and they have more fun while they’re at it. Kids should practice two or three times for each game they play.

  • Winning is not a good measure

Winning at a young age does not correlate to winning when your child is older. Long-term success comes from a long-term approach to skill development. And the stress from emphasizing winning is part of the reason 70% of kids quit sport by age 13.

A matter of confidence

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Physical literacy is about more than your child being able to perform fundamental skills. It’s just as important that your child believes that they can perform the skills well. Which is why children need to be given the best opportunities to learn skills in a challenging but supportive environment.

We know why children quit sports. They’ve told us it’s because they believe they aren’t good enough to participate. Rather than be laughed at and made to feel worthless, they choose to stop playing. And too often they choose to sit in front of a TV or computer screen instead.

Children with confidence in their fundamental movement and sport skills jump at the chance to participate in physical activities, whether that is impromptu flag football while on a family vacation or pick-up softball at a birthday party.

Participating in quality sport programs gives children the skills they need to feel confident in any activity. That makes them more likely to continue playing, which makes them even better athletes. It’s a wonderful spiral of sport success and confidence.

And that confidence flows into their regular lives too. They move with poise, carry themselves with purpose and feel secure in themselves.

Fun, fun, fun

The easiest way to tell if your child is getting the quality instruction they deserve is to look for the smile on their face. Because a child that is having fun and feeling suitably challenged is one happy kid.

We invite you to join the growing movement of parents who, like you, want their kids to develop right, and stay active for life.

Want to learn more? Canadian Sport For Life has more in-depth information and research about how quality sport and physical activity leads to happier, healthier children. 

Forecasting life expectancy

In our public service announcement “Recess”, we state that today’s children have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. This is why we believe that to be true.

Canadians enjoy longevity because of our quality health care. In fact, for decades the overall life expectancy of Canadians rose consistently because the Canadian health care system improved. Even though the rates of certain diseases also increased according to Statistics Canada.

But the World Bank's latest life expectancy prediction for Canadians recently declined for the first time. In 2008, the average age was 80.96. In 2009, it dropped to 80.66. Statistics Canada hasn't yet published 2009 values, but its 2008 life expectancy was the same as the World Bank.

So even though advancements in medical science are helping people to live longer, Canadians aren't. And the trend, according to Statistics Canada, will continue downward.

The Champions behind Active for Life

Active for Life has been created by champions for sport and physical activity in Canada. They include academics, sport and physical activity experts.  It is a major component of Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L), a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. It’s about ensuring that Canadians have access to good sport and physical activity programming right from childhood.

You can learn more about what makes quality sport and physical activity at the Canadian Sport for Life website.