The purpose of this paper is to describe the importance of physical activity for children and examine how physical activity affects and appears in their upbringing. I will also explore what the staff thinks about the importance of physical activity for children. The thesis key issues include the following: What is sufficient physical activity for the children? What role do the teachers have for children's physical activity? Does the teacher's own approach to physical activity affect their work?

The theoretical part deals with physical activity in early childhood education and how much children need to be active in a day. The theoretical part also describes the development of motor ability with physical activity, and the role that it plays in fun and games for children activities. In the theoretical part I also examine how physical activity effects children's health.

The survey was conducted through qualitative interviews with four respondents who work in early childhood education. The respondents consisted of two nannies and two kindergarten teachers. The survey showed that staff in early childhood education believe that physical activity is important for children's overall development and is a major part of everyday life in a kindergarten.