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Physical development and activity

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) prime area of learning: physical development

The EYFS educational programme for physical development states that "Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, coordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults." – Department for Education (DfE), 2025. 

The Early Learning Goals (ELGs) for physical development are assessed for each child at the end of Reception under gross motor skills and fine motor skills. The ELGs for physical development can be found on page 13 of the EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers. Size: 711KB File format: PDF

More information about the area of learning - physical development, ideas for practice, and links to other sources of information can be found on the DfE website, Help for early years providers : Physical development.

Gross motor skills

Gross motor skills are whole body movements providing "strength, coordination, balance and agility." – Manners, L. 2023. The types of gross motor activities you provide will depend on the age of the children you are working with and their unique developmental needs.

More information about gross motor skills and ideas for practice, as well as links to other sources of information, can be found on the DfE website, Help for early years providers : Gross motor skills

Fine motor skills

The DfE define fine motor skills as skills that "involve small muscles working with the brain and nervous system to control movements in areas such as the hands, fingers, lips, tongue and eyes." – DfE 2022. Good development of gross motor skills links to good development of fine motor skills and academic success. The types of fine motor activities you provide will depend on the age of the children you are working with and their unique developmental needs.

More information about fine motor skills and ideas for practice, as well as links to other sources of information, can be found on the DfE website, Help for early years providers : Fine motor skills

Fundamental movement skills

Ofsted (2024) defines fundamental movement skills as "a set of basic movement patterns" that children benefit from being taught and encouraged to practice, particularly from the age of three. The DfE (2023) defines fundamental movement skills as stability, locomotion, and manipulation, and they form the core of a child's physical development. Each category encompasses skills that contribute to a child's ability to move with confidence and grace:

  • Stability skills, which are needed to control our body, for example, stopping, stretching, landing, twisting and climbing.
  • Manipulation skills, which allow us to control objects, for example, throwing, catching, striking and bouncing.
  • Locomotor skills, which include running, hopping, skipping, dodging, leaping, galloping, twisting and dodging.

Why Are Fundamental Movement Skills so Important - Startwell_2020 provides more information about embedding fundamental movement skills in practice.

Physical activity for under-fives

"Physical activity is a fundamental means of improving the health, well-being and development of young children." – Archer, C. and Siraj, I. 2024. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) identifies that the cumulative health benefits for children who take part in physical activity include bone health, cognitive function, cardiovascular fitness, muscle fitness, positive weight status and reduced depression.

The CMO highlights the following activity guidelines for children under the age of five:

  • Infants under one: should be physically active several times throughout the day, and this includes 30 minutes of tummy time, also spread throughout the day.
  • Toddlers, one to two years: should be active for at least three hours a day at any intensity level.
  • Preschoolers, three to four years: should be active for at least three hours a day, and 60 minutes of this time should include moderate to vigorous activity.

Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report - GOV.UK.

NHS Healthier Families activities for kids provide a range of activity ideas for at-home and in settings, and include a range of 10-minute shape-up activities themed around Disney and Pixar characters.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children’s Health website also has some useful ideas for keeping babies, children and teenagers active, which can be shared with parents.

The BBC CBeebies webpage has a range of fun exercises to do at home with kids, activities that you can try in settings, and families can try at home.

The NHS physical activity guidelines for children (under 5 years) provide activity ideas to support children’s movement. The physical activity guidelines: early years (under 5s) infographic explains the physical activity that early years children should be doing to improve their health.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) – physical development

The EEF | Physical Development provides a summary of evidence-based approaches that can support you to develop your practice based on the seven areas of learning. Each Theme focuses on an area of learning with a summary of evidence. Approaches provide recommendations to support teaching and learning based on evidence. Practices provide ideas for implementation through scenarios and videos. 

Physical activity for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children

The Office for Health Disparities and the Department of Health and Social Care (2022) identify that "it is important for disabled children and disabled young people to participate in 120 to 180 minutes of aerobic physical activity per week at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity." It is important to consider the unique needs of children we are working with and follow guidance from any practitioners and agencies working with children with SEND and emerging needs.

The Physical activity guidelines: disabled children and disabled young people infographic supports settings and families in considering how to support their child/children with physical activity.

Further activity ideas can be found here:

Travelling to and from school – approaches to support safety and health

These sources of information from Cambridgeshire County Council can help schools and settings consider their guidelines, ethos and approach to travelling for school:

50 Things to Do Before You’re Five

50 Things to Do Before You're Five suggests 50 low or no-cost activities that children, families and settings can participate in to support young children’s development. More information can be found on the 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five, Learn Together webpage, including a free webinar which explores how the app supports healthy living.

Some of the activities which promote physical development include:

#4. Make your mark #5. Squidgy sand #8. Bubbles
#18. Dance! #20 Mini artists

#24. Hope, skip and jump
#27. Little people park keeper #31. Boing!

#46. Fantastic paper folding

District sport and activity information

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have lots of spaces where children and families can be physically active both indoors and out. Below are links with information about health and wellbeing from each district within the county:

Parkrun UK

Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, or run, with events available for adults on Saturdays and for juniors, aged four to 14 years, on Sundays. Events happen all over the country. For more information, visit the Parkrun UK website.

Green spaces

There are an estimated 2,900 public open spaces, including parks, gardens and playgrounds, in and around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Visit Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Parks for information about parks in your local area.

Training

The Cambridgeshire Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service (CambsEYC) provide a range of training courses, including the following, which will support and develop practice related to physical development:

  • Keeping me healthy − Supporting early years children's health and physical development.
  • Promoting physical development and activity in children under five.
  • Working with the EYFS nutrition guidance.

More information can be found in the CambsEYC Professional Development Programme, Curriculum, pedagogy, and practice.

The DfE has provided a range of free early years child development training modules, including a module on physical development.