As a local authority, you invest in helping children become more active. You support sports programmes, community initiatives and partnerships with schools. But one important question remains: are these efforts reaching the children who need them most?

Motor development cannot be taken for granted

Recent scientific research into the motor development of children aged 4 to 8 shows that progress is not automatic. Pim Koolwijk, a researcher at The Hague University of Applied Sciences who is also affiliated with several Dutch universities of applied sciences and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, has studied how children’s motor competence develops over time.

In his longitudinal study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, children were followed for more than two years and their motor competence was assessed at multiple points in time. Based on these measurements, Koolwijk identified no fewer than 11 different developmental trajectories.

The results show that children do not all develop in the same way.

In the Netherlands, primary schools are required to provide at least two hours of physical education per week. You might therefore expect children’s motor competence to improve as they grow older and have more opportunities to practise. But that is not always what happens. For around one in five children (18%), motor competence does not improve or even declines over time. These children risk falling further behind.

Where are these children?

For local authorities, this raises an important question: where are these children? Which schools do they attend? And, importantly, which neighbourhoods do they live in? Without this insight, they can easily remain out of sight.

The environment matters

Motor development is partly influenced by individual characteristics, including genetic factors. But additional research by Koolwijk and his colleagues shows that the environment in which children grow up also plays an important role.

Some of these factors can be influenced by parents, for example by providing toys and activities that challenge children to move, setting an active example and encouraging children to walk or cycle.

Other factors can be influenced at community and policy level. Local authorities can help create environments that make it easier and more attractive for children to be active by:

• Providing accessible opportunities for sport and physical activity
• Creating sufficient and safe spaces for outdoor play
• Ensuring safe walking and cycling routes between home and school
• Designing neighbourhoods that encourage everyday movement

The environment in which children grow up can therefore directly influence their motor development. This means that local authorities can do more than simply provide opportunities to be active. They can help create the conditions in which children can develop their motor skills. But effective action starts with knowing where support is needed most.