Four principles are drawn from approximately 100 years of research in the area of motor development. The principles are (1) children are not miniature adults, (2) boys and girls (children) are more alike than different, (3) good things are earned, and (4) no body (nobody) is perfect. Five sections of this article introduce some of the major…

The perspective of this article is that the purpose of the elementary physical education program is the development of a physically active lifestyle. We discuss the relative contribution of the development of motor skills, fitness, content related to encouraging participation, and the affective goals of the program to the development of a…

Early exploratory activities enable children to develop motor skills. Boys and girls must be provided similar experiences in movement. Teachers should provide experiences in which children can be successful. Situations in which children initially fail, but later learn to persist and try alternative solutions, are valuable. (BC)