Jumping Beans In-Centre Classes for Early Childhood Centres
Jumping Beans offers in-house, evidence-based classes to Early Childhood Education Centres to support the physical education outcomes of Te Whāriki. The aim of the physical activity classes is to extend children's Fundamental Movement Skills and Motor Development, using centre equipment.
Jumping Beans uses a holistic, Perceptual Motor approach including educational gymnastics, movement to music, ball skills and interactive play. Specific activities are used to develop key safety skills, stimulate brain pathways, language and self-esteem. Jumping Beans instructors work alongside your team to support and empower your teachers to nurture happy, healthy, self-regulating and resilient tamariki.
In 2016 Jumping Beans won an international award from OMEP, a United Nations linked organisation, for a collaborative research study, Physical Education in Early Childhood (PEECh), with BestStart Education and Care Centres, Massey and Waikato Universities. The study involved Jumping Beans instructors delivering 1 x 45-minute physical activity classes over a 10-week period to 3 and 4 year-old children across four BestStart ECE centres. These sessions involved active participation by ECE teachers who underwent experiential learning themselves. Teachers ‘strongly agreed’ that the Jumping Beans intervention was beneficial PLD, beneficial for the children and that they saw benefit in future Jumping Beans classes for their centres. Teachers gained important knowledge, skill and confidence in promoting physical activity in young children. Locomotor FMS activities (e.g. running, jumping, hopping) improved by approx. 2 age-equivalent years (relative to control group). Object control FMS activities (e.g. ball-handling skills) improved by approx. 1.2 age-equivalent years (relative to control). After a 3-month follow-up period the FMS skills were maintained in the children.
Another study with Massey University showed that 1-year olds, participating in weekly Jumping Beans classes over a 10-week term, significantly improved their safety skills such as safe climbing, safety rolls and safety grips.
To find out more about having Jumping Beans physical activity classes in your centre, please contact your nearest Jumping Beans branch HERE
