Objective

To teach as many children as possible how to break a fall safely, thereby giving them more enjoyment in movement.

Target group

For physical education teachers and (appropriately qualified) primary school teachers in primary education and the lower years of secondary education, for pedagogical staff in out-of-school care, for professionals who help children improve their motor skills, such as pediatric physiotherapists, and for, for example, community sports coaches.

Approach

In a playful and challenging way, children learn through falling exercises, step by step, what to do when they lose their balance, so that they can break the subsequent fall safely and get back up.

Despite all the attention given to children’s physical activity (for example through the National Sports Agreement), this has not yet led to a clear improvement in their motor skills. Motor skills are still below average in 28% of children. In addition, every day 130 children aged 0 to 11 end up in the Emergency Department with serious injuries caused by a fall. We can prevent these injuries—not only by getting children to be more physically active, but also by investing in the quality of movement (in other words, being able to perform movements correctly). Challenge children in their movements, for example by allowing them to engage in risky play, but also teach them how to break a fall safely.

What is Val OK!?

Val OK! was developed by falling experts Yos Lotens and Arno Zahradnik on behalf of VeiligheidNL. Val OK! consists of simple and playful exercises, explained through both text and video. You can use them in a regular physical education class, as a game at an out-of-school care facility, or as a standalone activity; so there is no continuous curriculum that you are tied to, but rather an accessible and enjoyable way to teach children falling skills.

The game ideas and exercises in Val OK! are contemporary and playful, provide challenges, and offer excellent opportunities for quick experiences of success. This is stimulating and is therefore a prerequisite for children to want to repeat them regularly and ultimately be able to react reflexively to an unexpected fall.

What are the benefits of Val OK!?

Val OK! provides children with lots of enjoyment in movement! They love being allowed to perform stunts during physical education classes or movement activities. And that is not all. Children who have trained their falling skills:

  • are less afraid of falling;
  • gain more self-confidence;
  • have a stronger sense of self-reliance;
  • will participate more enthusiastically in games and physical activities;
  • experience a positive influence on their social lives (playing and moving together, fair play).

Read more about Val OK! on the Veiligheid.nl website.