The tender period between childhood and adolescence is full of changes for young children. They are approaching the onset of sexual maturation, and because they are beginning their school careers, the possibilities for voluntary play and movement rapidly decrease while mental stress rapidly increases. It is very important that young children have a basic knowledge about correct running, jumping, throwing, and swimming as well as knowledge of how to play different sports and games. However, there are no criteria for acceptable levels of motor skills or how to correctly measure those motor skills. Focusing on a traditionally less studied age group, Growth, Physical Activity, and Motor Development in Prepubertal Children presents concentrated and selected information about the relationships among health and anthropometry, physical activity, motor ability, and motor development in children between the ages of eight and twelve. Extensively referenced, this book features the results of comprehensive studies of development during the prepubertal years as they relate to environmental conditions. It devotes special attention to body composition and health-related physical fitness. The book discusses recommended testing methods, including their validity, objectivity, and reliability. The health of children depends on their levels of physical activity, their motor abilities, and their motor skills. With the tools and guidelines provided in Growth, Physical Activity, and Motor Development in Prepubertal Children, you will be able to easily evaluate physical activity, then confidently guide children toward optimum growth and development.

Children and Exercise XXIV presents the latest scientific research into paediatric exercise physiology, endocrinology, kinanthropometry, growth and maturation, and youth sport. Including contributions from a wide-range of leading international experts, the book is arranged into six thematic sections addressing:

• Children's health and well-being
• Physical activity patterns
• Exercise endocrinology
• Elite young athletes
• Aerobic and anaerobic fitness
• Muscle physiology.

Offering critical reviews of current topics and reports of current and on-going research in paediatric health and exercise science, this is a key text for all researchers, teachers, health professionals and students with an interest in paediatric sport and exercise science, sports medicine and physical education.

The papers contained within this volume were first presented at the 24th Pediatric Work Physiology meeting, held in Tallinn, Estonia, in September 2007

Toivo Jurimae is Professor, and Chair of Sport Pedagogy at the Institute of Sport Pedagogy, University of Tartu, Estonia.

Neil Armstrong is Professor of Paediatric Exercise Physiology and Director of the Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre at Exeter University. He is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Exeter University.

Jaak Jurimae is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Children and Exercise XXIV presents the latest scientific research into paediatric exercise physiology, endocrinology, kinanthropometry, growth and maturation, and youth sport. Including contributions from a wide-range of leading international experts, the book is arranged into six thematic sections addressing: Children's health and well-being Physical activity patterns Exercise endocrinology Elite young athletes Aerobic and anaerobic fitness Muscle physiology. Offering critical reviews of current topics and reports of current and on-going research in paediatric health and exercise science, this is a key text for all researchers, teachers, health professionals and students with an interest in paediatric sport and exercise science, sports medicine and physical education. The papers contained within this volume were first presented at the 24th Pediatric Work Physiology meeting, held in Tallinn, Estonia, in September 2007 Toivo Jurimae is Professor, and Chair of Sport Pedagogy at the Institute of Sport Pedagogy, University of Tartu, Estonia. Neil Armstrong is Professor of Paediatric Exercise Physiology and Director of the Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre at Exeter University. He is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Exeter University. Jaak Jurimae is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

The tender period between childhood and adolescence is full of changes for young children. They are approaching the onset of sexual maturation, and because they are beginning their school careers, the possibilities for voluntary play and movement rapidly decrease while mental stress rapidly increases. It is very important that young children have a basic knowledge about correct running, jumping, throwing, and swimming as well as knowledge of how to play different sports and games. However, there are no criteria for acceptable levels of motor skills or how to correctly measure those motor skills.

Focusing on a traditionally less studied age group, Growth, Physical Activity, and Motor Development in Prepubertal Children presents concentrated and selected information about the relationships among health and anthropometry, physical activity, motor ability, and motor development in children between the ages of eight and twelve. Extensively referenced, this book features the results of comprehensive studies of development during the prepubertal years as they relate to environmental conditions. It devotes special attention to body composition and health-related physical fitness.

The book discusses recommended testing methods, including their validity, objectivity, and reliability. The health of children depends on their levels of physical activity, their motor abilities, and their motor skills. With the tools and guidelines provided in Growth, Physical Activity, and Motor Development in Prepubertal Children, you will be able to easily evaluate physical activity, then confidently guide children toward optimum growth and development.