Sport, Education and Child and Youth Development

Within schools, physical education is an essential component of quality education. Not only do physical education programmes promote physical activity, such programmes also correlate to improved academic performance under certain conditions. Sport can also, under the right conditions, provide healthy alternatives to deviant behaviour such as drug abuse, violence and crime.

A number of key themes related to these topics will be explored including:

• The healthy development of children and youth through sport
• Physical education in schools
• Social and emotional development
• Policy developments relating to physical education and sport
• Practical considerations for sport in education

This profile attempts to broadly introduce some of the current themes related to physical education and sport for children and youth. In the literature related to physical education and sport there is much debate across the world over definitions of physical education, sport and physical activity.  There is also great variance in the  standard age boundaries for youth world-wide.

These issues will not be explored in detail here. Rather a number of links to further reading and resources are provided after each sub-theme to direct readers to additional information.

The educational impact of physical education and sport is much more than the obvious physical development of motor skills and performance... Read More

Physical education in the school setting is an important and vital avenue for young people to learn and develop life skills. Given the high rates of school enrolment in developing countries, opportunities for physical education and sport should also be offered in the community. Read More

In addition to physical benefits, physical education and sport also have strong influences on inclusion and community building, character-building and delinquency and community safety. Read More

Selected international policies and declarations have influenced the delivery of physical education and sport across the world. While these policies may not always turn into action, they have stimulated national-level policy development in many parts of the world. Read More

Leadership is of crucial importance to quality physical education and sport as teachers and coaches have a major influence in educational outcomes of sport for children and young people. Read More