Children all across South Africa will now benefit from Active Play, a programme developed for Virgin Active Health Clubs by Stellenbosch Kinderkinetics, based in Stellenbosch University’s Department of Sport Science.
This is in addition to the Department of Sport Science’s Kinderkinetics programme that was implemented at the Stellenbosch Virgin Active in 2012 and Waterstone Virgin Active this year.
The Kinderkinetics programme, presented by Dr Eileen Africa and her students at Waterstone and Stellenbosch entails the development of fundamental gross motor skills, baby massage and stimulation, as well as age-specific fitness-related activities.
“This programme is where the students gain experience and practical hours under supervision of a qualified Kinderkineticist. It is important to note that this programme is different from the Active play programme. The SU students do not present Active Play, it is presented by Virgin Active Club V staff,” said Africa.
Active play was developed and implemented this year.
“The activities presented in the Active Play programme were also developed by Stellenbosch Kinderkinetics and is based on the sequence of development of selected locomotor, manipulative and stability abilities according to approximate age of onset,” Africa added.
The Kinderkinetics programme, as well as Active Play, is not only important in terms of the development of Kinderkineticists and promotion of the importance of Kinderkinetics in general, but for Africa it’s also about giving children access to the advantages gained from such a programme.
“It is a child’s job to be active. An active child is a happy child and a happy child becomes a healthy adult. Physical activity has cognitive, social, physical and physiological benefits and can help prevent a sedentary lifestyle.”
Africa has big dreams for the future of the Active play programme and believes the next step is to employ a Kinderkineticist to provide more structure to the programme to ensure a fluent activity session.
“But this is only a dream at the moment,” she says.
