This preface was penned on April 10, 2002 by Nanhai Hong, founder of Jenher Preschool in Tainan, Taiwan. It reflects the author’s decades of practical youth sports coaching and early childhood physical education teaching. In this North American ECE edition, the text is presented to share the historical spirit of joyful, child-centered movement play rather than as a clinical developmental claim.
Movement as the Foundation of Daily Life
In early childhood, daily life is fundamentally grounded in active movement. Whether children are engaged in physical games, creative problem-solving, social cooperative play, or individual self-expression, the body is the primary medium through which they explore their environment and make sense of the world around them.
In his preschool observations, Hong wrote that children who enjoyed movement games and gymnastic activities appeared agile, made friends readily, showed curiosity, and participated actively in classroom life.
Grace, Functional Balance, and Confidence
The preface presents bodily coordination, agility, and dynamic balance as essential qualities Hong valued in children's daily activity. Physical play awakens a child’s capacity for action, offering foundational movement experiences that support confident physical engagement.
Bodily Coordination
Developing bilateral control, rhythmic agility, and balance through diverse equipment experiences.
Social Connection
Sharing space, negotiating turns, and discovering cooperative teamwork through playful group challenges.
Playful Initiative
Encouraging self-directed exploration where children choose challenges matching their current readiness.
Nurturing Innate Movement Drives
Physical movement is a natural human instinct and a primary form of self-expression. When children’s innate desire for physical action is nurtured in early childhood, they develop the sensory-motor foundations required to navigate complex physical environments with confidence, precision, and joy.
Rich and varied physical play experiences provide children with opportunities to practice intentional movement control. Hong connected careful, attentive movement practice with a broader habit of acting thoughtfully and purposefully in future tasks.
The Joy of the Active Educator
One of the central themes of the preface is the positive atmosphere created when educators genuinely enjoy participating in movement games with children. Hong viewed joyful educator modeling as an important way to invite children into movement play while supporting teacher health and classroom energy.
In his view, meeting educators who celebrate movement and share the joy of physical play offers children a warm, supportive foundation for physical activity.
500 Movement Games Collection: Preface — Movement in Early Childhood
This curriculum originated from Nanhai Hong's years of practical early childhood physical education teaching. Jenher Preschool preserved the core activities, digitizing and updating the text, instructions, and safety guidelines for modern early childhood classroom needs.
This material is freely provided for classroom teaching and non-commercial research. When citing, please attribute "500 Preschool Movement Games" with a link to this webpage. Commercial resale or unauthorized mass reproduction is strictly prohibited.
Before starting, assess each child's readiness and ensure an open, slip-resistant play area with continuous adult supervision. For children with specific health, motor, or developmental considerations, please consult a pediatrician or pediatric physical therapist.