26 September 2023

Sport Australia kicks goal for kids

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Sport Australia (SA) has released a national statement committing itself to help all Australians, especially children, bring out their best through physical activity.

SA’s national Position Statement on Physical Literacy contains a promise to continue its efforts to prioritise the health and wellbeing of Australians.

Chief Executive of Sport Australia, Kate Palmer said statistics showed eight in 10 Australian children were not active enough.

“It is especially crucial to help children develop physical literacy — the skills, knowledge and behaviour needed for healthy lives,” Ms Palmer said.

“Physical literacy is far bigger than just teaching our children how to play sport, it’s about putting them on the path to healthier, happier and more active lives.”

She said that just as we don’t give a young child a book and expect them to understand it without first teaching them how to read, so we should place a greater emphasis on teaching every child to be active, a fundamental skill that will benefit them every day, for the rest of their lives.

“Society often talks about the role of physical activity in combating health issues like obesity, which is true, but there’s so much more to be gained by teaching our kids the necessary skills to be active, including improvement to mental health,” Ms Palmer said.

“That means things like helping kids learn better in school, building their confidence, self-esteem and motivation, helping them form social connections and friendships, plus boosting their strategic and critical thinking skills.”

She said physical literacy was about holistic development — physically, psychologically, socially and cognitively.

SA’s full statement can be accessed at this PS News link.

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