Enjoying physical education
Your first-grader learns to be more skillful doing physical activities. He becomes aware of his heart beating faster when active and learns how to increase his endurance. An important goal in first grade is to recognize and celebrate a good workout.

Amy Kaiser, physical education specialist, explains: “Young children often have short bursts of activity, and then stop and wonder why their chest is thumping. Sometimes there is a fear that something is wrong. It is wonderful to share the celebration of muscles, and heart and lungs working together. A 'happy heart workout' is a lesson learned for a lifetime.”

Students are generally eager to learn and practice movement skills and ball skills. Kaiser explains: "PE is fun in first grade. The fun is added only with children's imaginations. When teaching new skills, teachers may associate the new skill with things that are familiar to the children. For example, the ball becomes a puppy that has to stay, heel and go for a walk with its owner."

Moving about
First-graders practice movements such as walking, running, hopping, jumping, leaping, galloping, sliding, skipping, dodging, landing, turning and side-stepping. Your child learns to move and change direction quickly, in group activities. The teacher may call out directions for the group to walk backward and then give a signal to switch to skipping forward. Your child learns to become aware of her space and the people around her.

Your first-grader practices jumping rope at a fast pace, slow pace and while in a forward motion. "Jumping rope is a universal game that has skills rooted in many sports activities," Kaiser says. "It is also fun, inexpensive and has generational appeal."

Throughout the year, your child may participate in obstacle courses that integrate a variety of skills and concepts that your child has learned. She also participates in many group activities such as parachute play, dance and simple tag games.

Your child works to improve his throwing, catching and kicking skills. He learns the proper techniques to throw with one or two hands, overhand and underhand. He learns the correct catching technique. He practices bouncing balls with one and two hands, volleying balls, hitting a ball with a bat off a tee, and kicking a moving or a stationary ball.

Your child will do activities that require her to balance, sit, kneel, squat, stand, bend, sway, rock, swing, turn, twist, push and pull. She practices balancing on one foot and balancing objects, such as bean bags and Hula-Hoops.

Learning social skills
A first-grader learns the importance of teamwork by cooperating with a partner, in small and large groups. Your child learns to follow the rules of various games and activities, such as sharing, taking turns and assisting other teammates. He learns to stop an activity immediately at the teacher’s signal. He is taught how to safely use and care for equipment, and how to prevent injuries by stretching.

For suggestions on incorporating physical activity into your family routine read these GreatSchools articles:

Making Fitness a Family Affair

Take Fitness Indoors

To find out more about what your kindergartner should be learning this year, read

What Your Child Should be Learning: First-Grade Music

May 2006