Physical and psychological needs of children are very important and need to be met with great care to facilitate development. Considering that children grow and learn the most in the first few years of their life, parents as well as caregivers need to be sensitive to their physical and psychological needs. In this essay we will define physical and psychological needs and consider how caregivers can meet these important needs. The needs of a three year old will be identified with each definition. We will specifically look at how exercise, rest, diet, health and safety as well as survival, participation and belonging influence the needs of a child.

Physical needs can be defined as things we need for survival, basic examples are water, food, shelter and clothing. In addition to these basic needs, there are other needs which are equally important namely, safety, exercise and rest.
Food can be anything but it takes a nutritious diet and regular meal times to really provide for this need. A balanced diet has all the nutrients essential for body development and maintenance. Although water is not considered a nutrient it is still an essential part in a child’s diet. Diet for a three year old should be balanced and regular, also taking into consideration their religious and dietary practices.

Shelter is also important but the right precautions need to be taken to make sure that the child has a healthy and safe environment.

More and more children are spending excess time indoors. Physical exercise is very important to encourage the development of muscles, heart and lungs. As with everything balance is important so along with exercise, goes rest. Rest is essential for a healthy nervous system. The effects of lack of sleep can be serious causing irritability, poor concentration, etc. A growth hormone is also produced during sleep which is obviously important for