by Britney Woods

1. Physical activity influences health, well-being, and personal competence by using their whole bodies, in space, and challenging their bodies in different ways which contributes to a childàdevelopment (Kostelnik, 2019). Physical play is prominent in childrenàsocial lives by enabling them to interact with their peers, solve problems that may arrive during play, and develop concepts of fairness and a sense of belonging (Kostelnik, 2019). With time and support children are able to establish behavior patterns of safety, fitness, and healthy daily life practices that they will maintain throughout their lifetime. Adults are also responsible for making sure that children have a safe and sanitary environment. Adults also teach children how to move efficiently , make healthy decisions on their own, and how to avoid injuries (Kostelnik, 2019).

Physical activity helps with children maintaining a healthy weight that can help with the prevention of childhood diseases. Physical activity helps children remain active and encourages the use of their gross and fine motor skills. It also helps children learn how to respect otheràpersonal space and the value of their own personal space. Children are also able to express themselves with enjoyment and challenging themselves to do better. Social interactions with others helps children have fun when participating in motor activities with their peers (Kostelnik, 2019).
2. Having safe and healthy environments to learn and play indoors and outdoors is required for children. Being served well-balanced meals that have appropriate portions that are controlled for fats and salt is beneficial to growth and health. Children begin to increase in strength slowly between the ages of 3 and 5. With the growth of a childàlegs it is expected that speed gaining is rapid. Children tend to be more active in preschool than they are in elementary school due to the activities they engage in (Kostelnik, 2019).

Even though preschool age children may get tired easily they still seem to recover faster. Children in preschool often have access to unstructured movement opportunities during free play indoors and outdoors (Kostelnik, 2019). Younger children learn the basics about health, safety, and nutrition everyday by living and learning in environments where issues are addressed and adults model healthy behaviors (Kostelnik, 2019). Like children learning the benefits of handwashing and how to correctly wash their hands at an early age. Also, if healthy eating practices and food choices are learned and practiced in early childhood programs it helps keep the children on a healthy diet.

References
Kostelnik, M. (2019). Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Best Practices in Early Childhood Education. New York: Pearson.

by Amanda Forrest

1. Physical activity influences health and well-being of children. Physical activity not only helps children develop critical motor skills it also helps children maintain a healthy life style. Children who participate in physical activity are working the fine and gross motor skills by running jumping, climbing, and throwing and catching balls. They are also learning that exercise can be fun and developing a lifestyle of continued exercise into adulthood. When children discover they are able to do a physical skill that they were not able to do before they develop confidence in themselves. The confidence gives them the courage to try new things and even if they fail at the new adventure, they have confidence to try again.
2. During the early years children develop lifelong habits and by teaching them certain things early we as educators can help provide them with a good start. Children who participate in physical activities in early childhood are likely to always participate in physical activity. This is a simple way to start the momentum of teaching children the importance of exercise. Teaching children about healthy diets can be accomplished by suppling them with healthy goods to eat. They can be taught about healthy foods and the importance of eating healthy and exercising at a young age to help keep them in habits of taking care of their bodies. Children are creatures of habit and if we can form good habits early, they can continue throughout life.