Long-Handled Implements in a Physical Education Setting

An important issue in the physical education profession has become whether or not it is safe to introduce long handled implements like lacrosse sticks and baseball bats to students in an elementary school setting. I personally can remember playing wiffle ball with all my neighbors in the road every summer night at a very young age. According to the "Sequence of Emergence of Selected Locomotor, Manipulative and Stability Abilities", children can grasp an object in a controlled manner at the age of 12-14 months. I think this is evidence that kids can hold long-handled objects.  Catching and throwing skills are acquired at 6 years old and striking skills are acquired at the age of 5-7 years. This is all evidence to show that children in elementary school can indeed play sports like baseball and lacrosse. It is very important to carefully explain to your students the safety precautions that come with playing sports with these long handled implements. It is important to explain that the objects should not be swung around when the teahcer has not instructed them to do so and that all students should be aware of their spatial surrondings and those around them.