The purpose of this paper is to help fill the void that exists in the teacher preparation literature on the topic of physical, motor, and fitness development of children and adolescents. The first section describes important physical and motor development characteristics of children from early childhood to adolescence. Theories of motor skill development are then discussed, followed by practical applications for parents and teachers. The final section treats the problem of declining fitness levels in children and concludes with recommendations for improving physical fitness in school-age children.
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