Athletic Development & Fitness
The latest studies show a direct correlation between early athleticism and life-long, academic success. We've added a link below to a systematic review which reviewed over 600 studies and narrowed their research down to 15 well-done, published peer-reviewed studies related to this topic. (You only have to read one document rather than 600). This is an exciting and emerging area of science related to many aspects of early childhood development and structured physical activity. You will note that there is great evidence related to adding structured and guided physical activities for both gross motor skill and cognitive development (“free play” does not seem to provide the same benefit).
It seems a child needs structured and task-specific activities at least 3x per week of 30+ minutes to receive the benefits. Other studies are showing that not only does physical activity help as noted above, but when we increase the use of gross motor skills early, children tend to like to use them more over their lifetime (creates confidence and “success” relative to peers and self-reinforces great behaviors). This then delivers additional benefits related to obesity, bone density, etc. and all of the other benefits of exercise over a lifetime.
Stepping Stones students will be the ONLY preschoolers in Utah that will be attending a preschool that is optimizing the largest number of developmental factors for these children backed by published, peer-reviewed science. It isn’t about creating the next Olympian; it is about optimizing growth of a child during the most important years of development!
Stepping Stones Preschool's athletic program is unique to preschools and is facilitated by its 11,000-square-feet of indoor turf athletic field in addition to an acre of outdoor space. This space allows for year-round, large-scale games and activities that assist in gross motor skill development, hand-eye coordination, balance, agility, speed, and basic athletic movements. The advantage of learning to work together as a team and with a coach at a young age sets Stepping Students apart and really helps prepare them for future sports and a lifetime of wellness.
Read the Study here!