Atlantis

Every roll, wobble, climb and giggle in our centres is building something that lasts a lifetime. This Physical Literacy Week, we're celebrating the movement that happens every day across Atlantis Group, and sharing how families can keep the fun going at home.

Physical Literacy Week is a national moment to shine a light on why moving well matters for every child. For us, it's also a chance to share two things we're proud of: our partnership with KIDDO, and our very own TAG Sports program.

What is physical literacy?

Physical literacy is about much more than being "sporty". It's the skills, confidence, motivation and understanding a child needs to enjoy being active for life.

Just as reading starts with learning letters and sounds, moving well starts with the basics. These are the fundamental movement skills: running, jumping, hopping, balancing, throwing, catching, kicking and climbing.

Physical literacy has four parts that grow together:

• Physical: the movement skills and fitness to take part.
• Psychological: confidence, resilience and the motivation to give things a go.
• Social: playing, sharing, taking turns and working as a team.
• Cognitive: understanding why, how and when to move, and how to stay safe.

Why the early years matter most

The first five years are when a child's brain and body develop faster than at any other time in life. The movement habits and skills formed now become the foundation for everything that follows.

Children don't just "pick up" movement skills as they grow. They learn them through play, practice and encouragement. A child who feels confident running, jumping and catching is far more likely to join in at school, try new sports and stay active as a teenager and adult.

The benefits reach well beyond the playground:

• Healthy bodies: stronger bones and muscles, better coordination, healthy weight and better sleep.
• Growing brains: active play supports concentration, memory, problem-solving and early learning.
• Confidence and wellbeing: mastering a new skill builds self-esteem, resilience and a positive mood.
• Social skills: group games teach turn-taking, sharing, cooperation and communication.
• School readiness: balance, body control and fine motor skills support sitting, writing and listening in class.

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Our partnership with KIDDO

We're proud to partner with KIDDO, an evidence-based program that helps educators teach fundamental movement skills in a way children love. As KIDDO puts it: It's fun. It's easy to use. And it works!

KIDDO gives our educators practical, play-based activities that build children's movement skills step by step. Because the activities are simple to set up and easy to adapt, our teams can weave quality movement into every part of the day, indoors and out.

Most importantly, KIDDO is built on research. That means the time our children spend moving is purposeful as well as joyful, helping every child grow in skill and confidence at their own pace.

TAG Sports: made by Atlantis Group, for our children

Alongside KIDDO, we've created something that is uniquely ours. TAG Sports is Atlantis Group's own sports program, designed in-house and now running in every one of our centres.

TAG Sports is built for children of all ages, from our youngest babies to our school-ready preschoolers. Each age group takes part in sessions matched to their stage of development:

• Babies: tummy time, reaching, rolling, crawling and sensory movement play.
• Toddlers: walking, climbing, balancing, chasing and early ball skills.
• Preschoolers: running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and simple team games.

The focus is always on fun, participation and confidence, not competition. Every child gets to try, practise and celebrate their progress. And because TAG Sports runs across all our centres, families can trust that every Atlantis Group child enjoys the same high-quality movement experience.

Get moving at home: easy ideas for families

You don't need special equipment or a big backyard to support your child's physical literacy. The best ingredient is you, playing alongside them.

Babies (0–12 months)

• Make tummy time a daily habit, starting with a few minutes and building up. Get down on the floor face-to-face with your baby.
• Place toys just out of reach to encourage reaching, rolling and crawling.
• Give plenty of floor time instead of long stretches in prams, bouncers or car seats.

Toddlers (1–2 years)

• Build a living-room obstacle course from cushions, boxes and blankets to crawl over, under and through.
• Roll, chase and kick a soft ball together.
• Put on music and dance, march, stomp and freeze.
• Explore the park, beach or bush, letting them walk, climb and splash.

Preschoolers (3–5 years)

• Play classic games like tag, hopscotch, "Simon says" and "what's the time, Mr Wolf?"
• Practise throwing and catching with scrunched-up paper, beanbags or balloons.
• Try animal walks: hop like a frog, waddle like a penguin, slither like a snake.
• Ride a balance bike or scooter, or skip, gallop and jump along the footpath.
• Set mini-challenges: "How many times can you jump on one foot?"

Tips for every age

• Join in. Children copy what they see, so let them see you enjoy being active.
• Celebrate effort, not perfection. Praise trying, practising and improving.
• Make movement part of everyday life. Walk to the shops, take the stairs, have a dance break while dinner cooks.
• Limit screen time and swap some of it for active play.
• Get outside whenever you can. Fresh air and open space invite movement naturally.

Let's keep them moving

Physical literacy is a gift that lasts a lifetime, and it starts in these early years. Between KIDDO, TAG Sports and the everyday play in our rooms and yards, your child is building skills, confidence and a love of movement every day they're with us.

This Physical Literacy Week, we'd love you to join in. Try one of the ideas above at home, ask your child's educators about what they've been practising, and share your family's active moments with us.

Together, let's raise confident, capable movers, ready for school and ready for life.

Find out more about Physical Literacy Week at physicalliteracyweek.com and about KIDDO at kiddo.edu.au.

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