Football to develop fundamental movement skills in toddlersThursday, May 30, 2013 - 2:21 AM

The WA Football Commission and West Perth Football District will launch a new program on June 11 using football to build fundamental movement skills in children aged 18 months to 4.5 years.

Football is an Australian way of life, a lifestyle for many parents and a sense of joy for children growing up in local back yards across Perth’s Northern Suburbs.

Footy Fundamentals will trial as a 4 week program at Arena Joondalup on Monday 11 June for three age groups- 18months – 2.5years, 2.5years – 3.5 years and 3.5 – 4.5 years where our kids can progress on to the hugely popular Auskick model. The program will be run on the football oval and within the West Perth Football Club change rooms.

"This is an exciting concept for football," said West Perth Emerging Markets Officer Scott Minchin. "We have developed a program with the aid of local educators and physical education specialists that aims to prepare our kids for the future.

"Fundamental Movement Skills are patterns of movement that involve different body parts such as the legs, arms, trunk and head and include skills such as running, hopping, catching, throwing, striking and balancing. These skills are the foundation movements to more specialised, complex skills used in kids games, sports, dance and every day activities."

The program will emphasise fun in a structured environment that involves the parents utilising balls and football games to aid the child’s development. During the period from 15 months to 3 years old, a child develops physical capabilities which progress from being able to "toddle" around unsteadily – having only recently taken first steps – into confident mastery of a broad range of complex child development physical skills, such as throwing, catching, running, balancing and kicking.

The program is open to both boys and girls with only 45 places are available - 15 in each age group class. The program will expand into a 7 week program in term 3.

To register visit www.falconsdistrict.com.au or phone 9300-3611.