Speech, Trevor Mallard, PlayGym
Speech at launch of PlayGym, Takapuna Kindergarten
Thank you for inviting me here today. It is always refreshing to be able to spend time with our youngest New Zealanders.
Firstly, I want to congratulate Takapuna Kindergarten for your recent Harbour Sport Early Childhood Centre of the Year Award.
The experiences that children have in their early childhood play a huge part in the lifestyle they adopt and the choices they make later in life. This award demonstrates your commitment to providing the very best environment for children to learn and to develop to their full potential.
Modern life has changed the way we bring up our children. We are seeing increasingly sedentary lifestyles and declining levels of physical activity in our children and young people.
The earlier we make activity a regular part of children’s lives the sooner it will have a positive effect on their development. Resources such as Gymsports New Zealand’s Playgym allow early development of a range of basic skills that will help our children move, participate in and enjoy physical activity.
We know that all children are born with curiosity and a desire to experience the world around them. The Playgym resource will help engage children in activities that are positive, simple and easy to follow in any environment, while stimulating neural pathway development and helping with their learning.
The Labour-led government has recognised the impacts that our modern life is having on our children and young people. To help them the government launched Mission-On in September 2006. This $67 million dollar package aims to help our children and young people make healthy choices about what they eat and to be more active.
We know active people are healthier, happier and live longer. So it makes sense that the sooner we get children moving the greater chance they will have of a long and healthy life.
It's three years since SPARC launched its Active Movement campaign, which aims to teach young children fundamental movement skills that aid both physical and cognitive development. Active Movement coordinators have also been appointed and work in the community to train and support caregivers to get our under fives active.
I understand these coordinators, along with the support from numerous organisations, will also help to promote the Playgym resource.
Thank you for your dedication, commitment and contribution to getting our young New Zealanders active.
Thank you for inviting me here today. It is always refreshing to be able to spend time with our youngest New Zealanders.
Firstly, I want to congratulate Takapuna Kindergarten for your recent Harbour Sport Early Childhood Centre of the Year Award.
The experiences that children have in their early childhood play a huge part in the lifestyle they adopt and the choices they make later in life. This award demonstrates your commitment to providing the very best environment for children to learn and to develop to their full potential.
Modern life has changed the way we bring up our children. We are seeing increasingly sedentary lifestyles and declining levels of physical activity in our children and young people.
The earlier we make activity a regular part of children’s lives the sooner it will have a positive effect on their development. Resources such as Gymsports New Zealand’s Playgym allow early development of a range of basic skills that will help our children move, participate in and enjoy physical activity.
We know that all children are born with curiosity and a desire to experience the world around them. The Playgym resource will help engage children in activities that are positive, simple and easy to follow in any environment, while stimulating neural pathway development and helping with their learning.
The Labour-led government has recognised the impacts that our modern life is having on our children and young people. To help them the government launched Mission-On in September 2006. This $67 million dollar package aims to help our children and young people make healthy choices about what they eat and to be more active.
We know active people are healthier, happier and live longer. So it makes sense that the sooner we get children moving the greater chance they will have of a long and healthy life.
It's three years since SPARC launched its Active Movement campaign, which aims to teach young children fundamental movement skills that aid both physical and cognitive development. Active Movement coordinators have also been appointed and work in the community to train and support caregivers to get our under fives active.
I understand these coordinators, along with the support from numerous organisations, will also help to promote the Playgym resource.
Thank you for your dedication, commitment and contribution to getting our young New Zealanders active.