Active for Life: Elementary teachers toolkit
The elementary years are an important time for developing physical literacy. Through games and active play, children develop the fundamental movement skills and confidence that support lifelong physical activity and health. Elementary teachers can follow the links below to find resources for helping kids to develop physical literacy at school and at home.
More resources
Physical Literacy
What exactly is physical literacy? These graphics make it easy to understand.
Activities and lesson plans
Get your students moving and developing physical literacy with these resources:
- Lesson plans and videos (3-12 years)
- Lesson plan units (3-12 years)
- Interactive lesson plan builder (3-12 years)
- Cues for teaching FUNdamental movement skills
Educate parents
Teach parents about physical literacy and support activity at home with these resources:
- Free posters, graphics, presentation slides, and other media
- Free postcards and bookmarks
- Activities for kids and parents at home
- AfL Playbook for kids and parents at home
Connect parents with Active for Life
Help your parent community to get their family more active, more often by inviting them to:
- Follow AfL social media:
- Join our Facebook group: Active at Home
- Subscribe to our newsletter
Share articles with parents and other educators
Need content for your school newsletter or web site? You are welcome to reprint our stories if you follow our guidelines. A few favourites for educators:
- How to get your kids to spend more time moving with a simple recipe called physical literacy
- Why teaching kids how to move has become essential
- Visit a school where PE is about skills, and sports include everyone
- Rethinking school sports team
- Thrive Outside resources supports outdoor learning
- PE During a pandemic: How to help your students focus on building skills
- 10 ways to get kids active at your school
- 10 ways raising a physically literate child is like raising a reader
- Parent myths, and real truths about physical literacy
- 15 signs that your child is physically literate
- Relative age and developmental age: Is your child getting shortchanged?
- Playbook
- Every move counts: Why it’s so important to be active every day
Professional development
Stay current with the latest research in child development and early years physical literacy with these articles and resources:
- Follow our Twitter account for professionals
- Subscribe to our Professional newsletter below
Spread the word
Help spread the word about physical literacy by sharing the following images on your blogs, webpages, and social media channels:
Get more resources
See these links to more online resources for physical literacy, education, and disabilities.
Tell other educators about Active for Life
Introduce other educators to Active for Life and physical literacy by sharing this elementary years handout.
Contact us
To talk with us directly about our resources or sharing our content, please contact either Lynn Jobe or Liz Smeaton.