Call Mel on 0411 547 615  or email  her to know more about the Playball program in Ryde.

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The best way to develop reading and writing skills is to give the body and brain plenty opportunity to coordinate with one another. This is best achieved through movement and physical activity.  Playball understands the science behind the body and brain connection and as a result can deliver a program that has literacy as one of its core outcomes.

Creating a broad base of physical skills on which children will depend is critical to early learning.  Knowing that fine motor control begins with large muscle working well, Playball develops isolated body parts and gives children the opportunity to make sure these work well together allowing good coordination.

Playball also sets out every lesson to builds strong postural muscles understanding the need for children to support and hold their bodies in space as their bodies move.  Our classes specifically helps the eyes learn tracking skills and assists the hands and eyes to form a successful partnership. Being exposed to a variety of different physical skills gives children experience in motor planning and spatial awareness.

The repetition through ongoing physical experiences helps children develop control which is the ability to move deliberately and accurately to achieve whatever the brain proposes.  This of course cannot be achieved, without clear understanding that all of the domains of a child’s development —physical, social-emotional, cognitive, language and literacy—are interrelated and interdependent.  So while facilitating literacy skills we are in fact assisting the development of the whole child.

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What do you want to be when you grow up? From the very moment a baby is born we feel an overwhelming sense of protection and responsibility for their future. No matter what the balance is, of nature over nurture, one thing is for sure – “we all want our children to be who they want to be and reach their full potential.” We want our children to know who they are and have a strong sense of belonging, so they can conquer their goals and chase their dreams.

Physical activity programs such as “Playball” can be used as an effective tool to boost a child’s self- esteem through developing skills, interacting with others and forming friendships. Key values such as honesty, teamwork, fair play and respect fall hand in hand within sports and are qualities children should be carrying forward into all aspects of life. It is essential that children have as many opportunities as possible to form foundations from which subsequent learning can develop.

Educators and parents often see a divide between sport and academic work, however ironically sport can be the very thing needed to boost performance in the classroom. “Playball” is more effective because it is guided by the National Quality Framework and its Outcomes, therefore each activity coincides with what children need to be learning as part of the curriculum. It scaffolds children’s learning in ways that are easy, fun, and most importantly inclusive.

Each child is encouraged to develop skills at their own pace in a safe, positive and happy environment.

Through working with trained professionals, children are guided into a space where differences in ability are celebrated and connections with others are nurtured. In physical activity programs like this, it becomes apparent that if a child is effective in forming relationships with others, then they are much more likely to be well equipped with the skills needed to learn new concepts and explore new ideas.

The qualities children can obtain through taking part in sports programs transfers into the classroom in a myriad of ways. Active children are generally more motivated in character, which is a key attribute when taking on new challenges within education. This can result in direct links to fewer discipline problems and improved learning outcomes- a welcome consequence for our hard- working teachers and directors.

To achieve a broader outlook in education, sports programmes must focus on the development of the individual, not only on the development of specific sports skills. Nurturing ‘the whole child’ is vital if we are to create a balance between social and emotional wellbeing and academic success. “Playball” is a program which complements a child’s desire to create and fulfil their goals, through learning and working with others. It’s important to remember the basics of learning- no child is born with the ability to throw or catch a ball, just as no child is born with the ability to read or write. All new skills are part of a process and must be practised over and over before they can be mastered.

Playball gives children the opportunity to practise something new and to feel a satisfying sense of achievement and pride once they have mastered it at their own level and in their own time.

When children “have a go” – be it writing a sentence for the first time or kicking a ball on target- they are developing a risk- taking approach to learning, which is key to pushing boundaries and applying knowledge. If children are to be risk takers then they need the key to learning- confidence. Playball is a World Class Coaching System which helps to instil this confidence in happy young learners. We need to give our children the tools to reach their full potential so that they can make a difference in their world and have the confidence and ability to fulfil their dreams.

By Lisa Statham

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We hear a lot of parents saying their child is ‘sporty or academic or creative’ but what if a child could be all of these wonderful things, all at once? Bringing up a well- balanced child means that they have been given opportunities to develop life skills in a variety of different settings – ones which feed and nurture their desire to learn. We know that children learn best through having fun, when learning is meaningful to them. Physical, hands on activities are the very best way to open up doors of opportunity for children to learn and connect personally to their world. Programs like ‘Playball’ are key because they take a refreshing new approach to opening up these opportunities to provide foundations necessary for learning. Rather than the focus being on how well a child succeeds at a given sport from the start, emphasis is placed on something far more important – how the simple act of participation leads to the development of skills needed to enrich all areas of life. A child’s personal, social and emotional wellbeing is the core influence for learning – it’s the catalyst for greater things to come down the track. It’s imperative that children feel like they can contribute to a sport or physical activity, in an environment where they feel comfortable to progress at their own level and pace.

The idea from an academic point of view, is that children use and apply the same principles learnt from sports participation, to their studies. So, let’s look at the benefits which contribute so much to a child’s overall wellbeing:

TEAMWORK

A team cannot achieve their goals without working together and communicating effectively. Working as a team provides children with an important sense of belonging as well as opportunities to extend social circles, through making new friends. Teamwork is a wonderful skill to carry on throughout childhood into adulthood and future careers.

CONFIDENCE

Receiving encouragement and support from other team mates does wonders for a child’s self- esteem, as they learn that their contribution is valued. Mastering skills in sport and physical activities is an effective way to build upon a child’s confidence in their abilities, helping them to set goals and become risk takers in new situations.

RESILIENCE

Whether part of a team sport or an individual activity, children develop key skills and attributes through winning and losing and learning from their mistakes. Learning to cope with losing and continuing on to try again is how children will build character in a competitive world. They will be better equipped to deal with disappointment or failure, making them more ‘psychologically resilient’. Resilience is a wonderful trait for children to have as they face new challenges in all walks of life.

DEDICATION

Dedication is important for children to develop as it will help them to achieve more and build upon skills in many different areas. As children show commitment to a particular sport or activity, they are putting time and effort into pursuing something through to the end, seeing results and feeling pride in their achievements. If a child shows dedication in one particular area, then they are more likely to apply this attribute to other areas of life, including their studies.

PATIENCE

Patience plays a large role in the activities or sports children get involved in. In order for children to become better at something they will most likely have to practise, which takes patience. Having the ability to control emotions is a life skill that will give children an advantage when it comes to facing other life challenges.

RESPECT

Following rules and accepting decisions that may not lie in your favour are all part of participating in a sport. Listening to others, working as part of a team and taking direction from others contribute to good sportsmanship. Realising that there are consequences to bad behaviour or rules being broken is important for children to acquire respect for others, including their elders.

Our education system categorises ‘areas of learning,’ and will assess children accordingly… but in reality, the way our children perform academically, derives from the life skills they have obtained – the skills necessary to apply learning and knowledge through their experiences. For example, if a child has the ability to show dedication towards a particular activity, then they are much more likely to achieve a higher goal and reach a new potential in the classroom. If a child can work successfully as a team, then they are much more likely to broaden their knowledge through the perspectives and ideas of others.

Exercise shapes our muscles, bones and organs but it also strengthens key areas of the brain, tapping into academic and personal, social and emotional wellbeing. It is this relationship between the body and the brain that we need to nurture and perceive as one. Physical activities like the ones practised in Playball, adhere to a child’s social and emotional wellbeing, therefore they impact on all aspects of life and contribute to what we may define as successful, well rounded individuals. There is no doubt that developing skills for life through physical activity positively impacts on the adults that our children will one day become.

Lisa Statham, Early Years Academy

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We wish Angela and the team lots of happy Playball days!

Call Angela on 0405 141 037

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