Outline The Development Of Kicking Between The Years Old

I will outline the development of kicking between the ages of a 5 to 7 year old. In addition to this I will clearly outline how the skill of kicking will contribute to physical literacy and therefore physical activity for later in life.
Kicking is a gross motor skill and requires the large muscles to contract. A gross motor skills also requires a child to move and control their larger muscles in their body for example arms, legs, feet or their entire body. Using the larger muscles in the child’s body will allow them to deliver functions such as walking, lifting or throwing a ball. A gross motor skill will be develop first than a fine motor skill which would perfect the skill.
Fundamental body movements are the building blocks for the wide
range of sports and physical activities offered in our community. (2000) Get skilled: Get active, NSW Department of Education and Training, Page 11- Chapter 1. There are three different types of fundamental skills that the child can adapt to and develop; locomotor, object control and stability are the three different skills that allows a child to develop. The three fundamental skills can used in a wide range of sports, physical activities in current and later life. Kicking a ball involves a person applying force to an object with their foot. Kicking a ball is also a manipulative skill and requires the child to control an object either using their hands or their feet.
The kick is one of the last fundamental movement skills in which students will demonstrate proficiency.
(2000) Get skilled: Get active, NSW Department of Education and Training, Page 36- Chapter 2. The criteria and development of kicking a ball at the ages of 5 to 7 differ with gender and environmental factors in which affect them for example, the way in which the child is taught. However, the averages will firstly require the child to kick by flexing their lower leg with a backwards lift (age 5). To develop the skill even further the child would then be able be greater backwards and forwards with arm movement and a swing motion (age 6). As a result of this the child will then develop with mature pattern allowing them to dribble or control the ball when kicking (age 7). Although the child is expected to deliver the skill of kicking a ball it does not necessary mean they will be able to conduct the
skill.

After the gross motor skill of kicking a ball is mastered the child can then develop in the ways that they can use the skill in a competitive aspect in an activity or competition.
To allow the child to demonstrate and show of their skill they can introduce speed and skills such as dribbling. However, the development of the skill depends on the age of the child and the influential factors which can affect the way in how they learn and produce the skill.

Environmental factors can influence young children’s development through both positive and negative ways which will bring an impact on their gross motor skills, fundamental movement skills, physical literacy and therefore an impact on physical activity in later life. They can be affected in the way in which they are taught. The children’s factors or condition can depend on the child’s house and environment that they are brought up in. The income that the parents or guardian are on, housing, education and employment can all be influential factors on a child’s development and skills.
The graphs above indicates that boys master the gross motor skill quicker of kicking at year 1 and 2 (aged 5-7) although just under 5% have actually mastered the skill and 10% of the boys have nearly mastered the skill. However the girls that have been tested had under 5% of girls who have nearly mastered the skill and can produce the skill
independently.

A class of girls and boys aged 6-7 were also tested and the result of this was that 20% of the boys nearly mastered the manipulative skill and just over 5% had actually mastered the skill. Whereas the girls had no mastery of the skill or even nearly mastered the skill which evidently shows that they had a decrease in girls being able to master kicking.
Booth ML, Okely AD, McLellan L et al, Mastery of fundamental movement skills among, New South Wales school students: Prevalence and sociodemographic distribution. J Sci Med Sport (1999), Page 6.

Physical literacy is the aim of physical education and is also a concept which is growing acceptance and knowledge. It can also be described as ‘the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for attaining physical activity purposes and skills throughout their lifetime.” Whitehead, M.E. (Ed) 2010 Physical Literacy: Throughout the Lifecourse. London. Routledge, Page 1.