Age Characteristics of Pupils and Selection of Activities in Physical Education

When children are born they find themselves stable against those moving around them. This produces first desire for physical activity in them. During this period they like catching, rolling, bouncing, running, jumping, etc. Thus the teacher needs to foster social, intellectual and physical development during these building block years.

The skills learned during this time lay a solid foundation for grasping more complicated sports and activities. Emphasize movement as play and be sure to encourage and praise the child’s desire to explore movement.

Pupils from 5 to 8 Age Group

Children of this age, like bike riding, roller skating, ice-skating and a host of other activities. They can use basic motor skills to build complex movements. For example, instead of just hitting a stationary ball with a bat, they can practice hitting a ball when it is rolling in air.

They can play longer and harder than younger children, which means their fitness levels can improve. Some children became interested in organized group or team play but not a competitive level.

Pupils of Age Group 8 to 10

Children of age-group 8 to 10 are now, eager to know their body parts and its activities. During this period they want to be social. This helps them in participating effectively in team and partner activities. This is the age to improve their fitness level.

Appropriate physical activities can strengthen hearts, muscles and bones. Children of this age lack the needed muscles for large muscle development. Also, the decline in children’s physical activity often begins during this age range. Kids become self conscious and compare themselves to their peers. Children who develop early have a physical advantage and may be intimidating to other kids of their age.

Therefore, to train and educate the pupils of age group 8 to 10, a physical educator must:

(i) Supervise and design effective programmes that a child can enjoy the benefits of strength training for getting stronger.

(ii) Improve a child’s attitude and self esteem. (iii) Recommend team sports or group classes.

(iv) Help a child celebrate speed and endurance successes by timing as to how fast he or she can walk half a mile or get from one end of the block to the other.

Pupils of Age Group 10 to 12

Pupils of this age group like participating in individual activities, like walking, swimming, skating, boxing, kho-kho etc. However, they can continue to play on teams. During this period they like to act for some strange things. They want to uncover the hidden facts. Heroism of mythical tales moves in their minds. This is the period of search and show.

Therefore a physical education while treating his pupils, must devise programmers choose activities that faces on developmental levels, i.e., beginner, intermediate advanced as opposed to chronological age, since kinds mature at different rates.

Since, during this age major hormonal changes occur and puberty finds many children feeling awkward and unattractive as their physical bodies mature, therefore, a physical educator should provide his students an appropriate knowledge of their physique, and help them in decision making.

Pupils of 12 and Above

Up to this level children have passed over the basic process of learning. They have been trained in most of the sports activities, and, are, now, preparing for the participation in high level competitions. Therefore, at this level, a physical educator should select activities for the pupils, in the way that children involved in sports should be encouraged to participate in a variety of different activities and develop a wide range of skills. Young athletes who specialize in just one sport may be denied the benefits of varied activity while facing additional physical, physiologic and psycho logic demands from intense training and competition.

One also must keep in mind the potential risks of high intensity training and sports specialization in young athletes. He can attempt to identify future champions and initiate specialized training. The lure of a college scholarship or professional career can also motivate athletes.