Children’s Learning

Question 1

Explain the most important things one must know about the motor skills of children (3).

Answer 1

• Muscle control and coordination do not develop evenly throughout the body, but from the middle of the body towards the extremities. This means that a child better controls larger muscle groups (trunk and hips) before smaller ones (arms, legs, ankles).
• Children use larger muscle groups more easily to maintain and catch their balance, so very young children are not capable of small controlled movements of the ankles to maintain balance when sliding on a board. They maintain balance with the upper body, which is bent forward or straightened.
• Control of the body is developing also from the head down to the feet.

—> In a child up to the age of 8, the center of gravity is relatively high, so it is recommended to place the bindings a little wider on a suitably wide board

Question 2

Explain the characteristics of growing children for
- children up to 5 years of age
- children aged 5-7
- children aged 8-11
- children aged 12-15
both movement-wise and mental-wise.

Answer 2

Children up to 5 years of age:
Movement - They tire quickly. Their center of gravity is often too far back. Lack of control over smaller muscles. They use larger muscle groups to maintain balance, might look uncoordinated. They have problems coordinating the actions of the upper and lower parts of the body.
Mental - Their alertness decreases quickly. They learn faster when the instructor’s attention is specifically directed at them. They learn more easily by imitating. They learn best with one instruction at a time, more difficult with several instructions at the same time. They do not understand mirror images. They often cannot express themselves correctly.

Children aged 5-7:
Movement - They have variable amounts of energy, but still need frequent breaks. Motor skills are sometimes better, sometimes worse. The beginning of simultaneous and separate use of the lower and upper torso. Because the bones are soft, they are susceptible to injury, safety rules must be clear and understandable.
Mental - They still have fears and quickly become attached to adults. At this age, most people give up if they have a bad experience. Games and activities should always lead to a situation where there are no losers. They work well in pairs. They may have problems understanding and accepting rules, so they should be simple.

Children aged 8-11:
Movement - They have a lot of energy. They like to test their limits and feel invincible. Generally, they have enough strength and coordination to stay on the board with appropriate movements. Beginning of fine motor development. They can move their limbs independently and separate the functions of the lower and upper torso.
Mental - They are curious. They consider the reactions of elders and peers to their actions. They understand what is right and wrong. Games and activities should always lead to a situation where there are no losers. They test authority.

Children aged 12-15:
Movement - Stages of motor skills restoration. They experience ups and falls and periods of awkwardness.
Mental - Children of the oldest age are usually very sensitive. They learn by doing, they perceive the whole as a set or sequence of individual parts. Puberty causes changing behavior. They respond to expectations and opportunities and thus express their independence. Gender difference is becoming obvious.

Question 3

What are the four key stages in learning to snowboard?

Answer 3

1. Adaptation: When a child arrives on the snow, he must first adapt to the snow, the environment. If we leave this stage out, we may have problems with the child’s attention later and learning will be slower. Introductory games are essential, combine the adaptation base with a warm-up.
2. Beginning: In this stage, children acquire gross motor skills. They gain a sense of basic movement (gliding) in a new space. In addition to the various exercises below, we also try lateral and frontal stimulation. We praise children for every correct performance and do not focus on details or small mistakes.
3. Foundation: The training in the third stage is the richest in information. With various games and exercises, the child begins to master more demanding movements that involve fine motor skills. The basic turn comes to the door.
4. Conclusion: In this part, which is an introduction to continuing learning to surf, we make a brief summary of the learning. We praise the child and explain the progress to him (or to the parents) and present the options.