WJEC GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare

1. List three physical attributes that are needed to perform like Hannah and Elin in the picture on the left. 2. Give two reasons to explain why Hannah and Elin’s age makes a difference to their athletic abilities. 3. Describe the physical abilities needed to perform well in your favourite sport. Think about it 3 Understanding physical development Hannah and Elin love to do parkour together. Did you know? A child will develop and improve their coordination and balance control by playing games where they skip, catch a ball or ride a bicycle. Physical development across the life cycle A person’s physical skills and abilities are continuously changing and developing as they progress from one life stage to another. The basic physical abilities of infancy are soon replaced by greater abilities in childhood. By the time a person has reached adulthood, their physical skills and abilities are very sophisticated. In this section of the unit, we will focus on the way in which physical development occurs in each life stage. Infancy and childhood A person experiences a huge amount of physical development during infancy and childhood. This is partly because physical growth during infancy and childhood improves a child’s strength, stamina and dexterity . This makes it possible for the child to use their body in new ways. As a result, a child’s coordination, balance and physical movement all improve rapidly during their early years. Play and learning activities in the reception and lower infant classes of nurseries and primary schools help young children to practise and reinforce their gross motor skills and fine motor skills . A child needs to develop their fine motor skills in order to use scissors. Key terms Parkour The sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in a town or city, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping and climbing. Dexterity Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands. Gross motor skills Whole body movements that depend on a person being able to control the large muscles in their arms and legs. Fine motor skills Movements of the hands, wrists, fingers, feet and toes that rely on control over smaller muscles. 18 1.1 Human development across the life cycle