Leading a healthy lifestyle
Third-graders learn the benefits that result from regular participation in physical activity, and can explain the importance of a lifestyle that includes getting enough sleep and eating well. Your child learns that proper stretching increases flexibility and why flexibility is important. She learns more challenging warm-up and cool-down exercises, such as lunges and push-ups.

An important goal in third-grade physical education is to realize the impact of decisions that will last a lifetime. Students at this age learn that they need to incorporate an active lifestyle into their daily lives. Often at this age, students experience their first fitness tests. These tests directly relate to their exercise and eating habits. Amy Kaiser, physical education specialist, explains: “Fitness tests are a gage to see where a child is currently. Children can look at their results and set a goal to increase or practice that skill in order to improve the next time.” These fitness tests often include aerobic conditioning, muscle strength and muscle flexibility.

Also at this age, many students get involved in physical activities outside of school. “It is so exciting after teaching a unit, that we can have a class discussion about opportunities in the community to increase participation,” Kaiser says. “Students start to connect their school lives to the greater community around them.”

Moving skillfully
Third-graders continue to develop movement skills such as walking, running, hopping, jumping, leaping, galloping, sliding, skipping, landing, turning, side-stepping, twisting, swinging, chasing and dodging. Through group games and exercises, your child combines movement skills. He may learn jump rope tricks such as running in, jumping, and running out while the rope is still moving. He may work in a group to create dance routines to music. He learns the vocabulary associated with movement such as speed, flexibility and balance.

Your child demonstrates the knowledge and skills needed to participate in a large variety of games and sports. She learns different strategies for doing well in games. She works to improve her throwing, catching and kicking skills. She uses both her dominant and non-dominant hand to throw and catch. She works on her accuracy and form in throwing and catching. She plays soccer, working on her skills of trapping, dribbling, kicking and passing.

Your child engages in different exercises to improve his ability to do prolonged exercise without getting tired. He will learn and understand how to increase his cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and muscle strength. He engages in continuous aerobic activities for a sustained period of time, such as playing tag games and running.

Learning social skills
Your third-grader learns new rules that go along with the many games and sports she plays. She continues to learn cooperation and teamwork skills. She learns to assist a partner with his performance by “spotting” him and offering encouraging words. She is expected to respect the rights and feelings of others, as well as show self-control and perseverance. She understands the benefits of cooperating and sharing.

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: Third-Grade Music

May 2006