On Monday October 7th, the (sold out) KIDDO Conference 2024 gathered over 130 primary school educators, health professionals, coaches and industry stakeholders at Telethon Speech and Hearing in Wembley, WA. The event brought together a passionate community committed to advancing physical literacy in children. Through insightful presentations, practical workshops, and engaging discussions, attendees left equipped with new strategies and a renewed sense of purpose.
Key Highlights from the Day
The day kicked off with a powerful keynote from Professor Lisa Barnett of Deakin University. As one of the world's foremost experts on physical literacy and motor skill development, Professor Barnett emphasised that physical literacy was more than just skill development and the importance of understanding a child’s physical literacy from their perspective. She explained how this knowledge can shape educational approaches, particularly in developing confidence and competence in movement. Her second presentation gave an overview of the latest research from across the world linking motor skill development in children and youth to long-term health outcomes.
Ideas in Action: Practical Workshops and Insights
Following the keynote, attendees had the opportunity to engage in hands-on sessions led by a diverse lineup of experts:
- Megan Wallace, an early childhood teacher from Dryandra PS, shared her experience with integrating KIDDO into the early childhood classes at her school. Her session, Starting Strong: KIDDO’s Role in Early Childhood, demonstrated how structured programs can help young children develop essential movement skills, even in schools with limited resources.
- Allison King, KIDDO Program Manager, led two practical sessions. The first, Running Assessments Using Stations where she gave a live demonstration on how to effectively assess fundamental movement skills (FMS) varying levels of support and how to use the results. Allison also shared simple and proven ways to teach fundamental movement skills in early childhood settings, focusing on fun activities, simple instructions and common language use. Her live demonstrations were a hit, offering real-world tools that educators could implement immediately.
- Martin Anderson from UWA presented an engaging session on Maximising Active Time in PE Lessons, providing innovative strategies to ensure children are moving and engaged throughout their physical education classes.
- Helen Cooper, an occupational therapist and founder of Gymworks, delivered an impactful session titled Elevating Education Through Gross Motor Development. Helen explored the sensory processing skills essential for developing praxis and motor planning. Attendees gained strategies to support children with coordination difficulties, including links to DCD, dysgraphia, and ADHD, helping them gain confidence and better access to the curriculum.
Dr. Ivan Jeftic from UWA presented Practical Strategies to Develop Children's Confidence to Be Active. His talk provided educators with actionable strategies to boost children's self-efficacy in physical activity, addressing both psychological and social barriers.
School-Wide Adoption of KIDDO: Case Studies and Success Stories
Several sessions highlighted how schools are successfully integrating KIDDO across various levels:
- Sarah Muller of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Darwin discussed Maximising KIDDO’s Impact Through School-Wide Adoption and Student Intervention. She shared her experience of embedding physical literacy into the school's curriculum, showing how a whole-school approach can create a lasting impact on students' movement skills.
- Chris Boulay, PE Specialist from North Harrisdale PS, led a highly enaging session on Student-Centric Approaches to Physical Literacy. Chris highlighted how personalised teaching strategies he has employed have met students where they are at, and helping them to thrive both physically and mentally.
- Hannah Brown from Ardross Primary School shared her innovative methods for Teaching Striking in the Early Years, offering educators new games and activities to develop object control skills such as Striking in young learners.
Latest Research on Motor Skill Development
In a data-rich session, Professor Michael Rosenberg from UWA presented The State of Play for Fundamental Movement Skill Development for Australian Children. Based on data from over 50,000 children from 2019-2023, the research provided attendees with insights into FMS development trends and relationships, such as the influence of socio-economic status, gender, and age, and the relationships between the development of each of the skills.
Panel Discussion
A standout moment of the conference was the dynamic panel discussion featuring Professor Lisa Barnett, Amanda Derbyshire (KIDDO Program Director), Chris Boulay, Hannah Brown, Sarah Muller, and Megan Wallace. The panel (and attendees) shared their most successful strategies for enhancing children's physical literacy and answered questions from the floor, providing practical takeaways on how to overcome barriers in physical education.
Looking Ahead: KIDDO’s Vision for the Future
The KIDDO Conference 2024 wasn’t just about sharing knowledge — it was about sparking action. As the day drew to a close, Amanda Derbyshire reiterated KIDDO's ongoing commitment to empowering educators and supporting children’s physical literacy. She shared plans for KIDDO's Year 3-6 expansion, including new activities, lessons, programming and assessment tools, launching in 2025, that will further enhance how physical literacy is embedded in schools across Australia.
A Community of Changemakers
The conference was a resounding success, thanks to the passion and engagement of all attendees. The blend of theoretical insights and practical applications left participants inspired and ready to implement new strategies in their schools and communities.
KIDDO extends its gratitude to everyone who participated in making the day a success. We look forward to continuing this journey together—ensuring that every child has the skills and confidence to be active for life.