Design and teaching of physical education for children and youth

Abstract

The reduction of physical activity is a phenomenon that affects the world population at all ages (childhood and adolescence, adulthood and third age) whose effects do not only concern the predisposition to risk factors for health but also more generally well-being and good individual bio-psycho-social functioning. Sedentary lifestyle, unfortunately, no longer affects adults and the elderly, but it is an unhealthy habit that is grafted more and more precociously, also extending to children and adolescents. In fact, during the developmental age we observe alarming trends of involution of motor skills with a general trend of reduction in the quality and quantity of movements in both children and adolescents; over the last fifty years, unfortunately, the coordination of school-age children has regressed, manifesting itself with a significant delay in the development of coordination especially in urban populations, as well as being affected by a serious and widespread problem of overweight and obesity in age paediatric. This paper analyses some special educational needs of movement during childhood and adolescence, even in the presence of disabilities, and tracks the main teaching methods that enhance the body and movement and the sensory perceptive system.