My active world
Physical activity is essential for children in their early years and it’s fun!
My Active World: Move more to nurture happy and healthy children is a resource for people who work in early learning and childcare (ELC), including childminders and school-aged childcare, children and their families.
The concept is simple, we need to be active to be healthy, we know activity promotes not just our physical wellness but also our mental health and wellbeing. Importantly, this resource demonstrates the fun to be had from moving more.
My Active World is designed to build on the good work already present in many children’s settings. We hope through considering the examples in this resource that you will begin to create opportunities for children to be active across the whole day.
This resource offers a wealth of fun ways to be physically active. By highlighting examples of good practice, we aim to promote a culture where everyone can learn from each other.
We are also keen to promote further examples of good practice through our online resources. So, if you have an experience you would like to share you can email us: myactiveworld@careinspectorate.gov.scot
Improvement toolkit
Improvement and support questions
What do we know about levels of physical activity in our children?
What do we need to do next to improve children’s physical activity across all age groups?
How do we ensure changes are positive and promote fun experiences that will become part of children’s everyday routines?
What changes can we make to the physical layout of rooms and resources to promote children’s activity levels?
How will we bring parents and families along with us on our journey to physical activity?
What support and resources can we use to promote our understanding about the importance of physical activity in children?
How do we link effectively with other professionals to support all our children and families to be physically active?
How are we supported to be physically active during our workday?
How do we know we are meeting the UK Chief Medical Officer Physical Activity Guideline 2019?
Key improvement resources
A New Look at Hall 4 - The Early years - Good Health for Every Child
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma
A quality framework for daycare of children, childminding and school-aged childcare
Body Mass Index of Primary 1 Children in Scotland 2018/19
Gender Equal Play in early learning and childcare
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
Health Scotland Food Poverty Statement (2015)
Improvement children and young people’s understanding of their wellbeing
Physical activity guidelines for children and young people
Public Health Scotland: Child Health
Realising the Ambition: Being Me
Setting the Table, nutritional guidance and food standards
UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines 2019
Good practice examples
Going on a Bear Hunt
This video was made by Gillian Brand and Julie Wasiak, two childminders who live and work in Dunfermline. They were concerned that parents were missing the opportunity to be involved in their child’s care during the lockdowns. To address this, they created this film around the popular children’s story Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, that they shared with parents. The aim was to keep families involved but it also demonstrates how using popular stories or rhymes can be used to get children moving.
Space to grow
A resource to help early learning and childcare (ELC) and out of school care (OSC) services the best they can be in terms of design.
My world outdoors
A practice resource highlighting the benefits of outdoor play for children attending early learning and childcare.
Animal magic
A resource celebrating the amazing difference being around and caring for animals makes for many children and adults using a range of care services.