Changing the playground environment produces a strong effect for younger children, and longer daily recess duration enables children to engage in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This study concludes that the process of increasing recess physical activity is complex.
Archive for category Playgrounds
New research from Finland points to preventive exercises as an effective means to tackle the challenges children face when learning to read.
415 preschool boys and 368 girls in Belgium were observed and wore pedometers during recess. Boys took significantly more steps per minute than girls (65 versus 54 steps/min). In both genders higher step counts per minute were significantly associated with less children per m2 and with shorter recess times. In girls higher step counts were associated with the presence of less supervising teachers. Playground markings, access to toys, the number of playing or aiming equipment pieces and the presence of vegetation or height differences were not significant physical activity predictors in both genders.
Physical activity of 64 preschoolers in Salt Lake Cityaged aged 3-5 years was measured by accelerometry for 5 pre-intervention and 5 post-intervention days during outdoor play. The activity-friendly equipment significantly decreased sedentary behavior and significantly increased light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity.
Schoolyards in Boston will be renovated to Create Active Learning Opportunities.
The purpose of this Canadian study was to examine how healthy weight status among youth was related to distance to the closest park from home, and the availability of 13 specific park facilities within 1 km of the home. Results suggest that availability of certain park facilities may play a more important role in promoting physical activity and healthy weight status among children than availability of park space in general.Implications for park design are discussed.
New Orleans researchers observed children in 2nd through 8th grades over 2 years to understand of how children use play equipment. Children were 3 to 13 times more likely to play in areas with more installed play equipment, with than in an open grassy field. Children were more likely to be very active in areas with basketball goals or an installed play structure than in an open field.
Children with poor hand control and coordination are more likely to become obese adults, researchers said on Wednesday. The finding adds to a growing body of evidence linking poorer cognitive function in childhood to obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults.
School Recess before Lunch
Jul 29
A few brave principals across the US are advocating recess before lunch. Kids eat more, waste less food, return to class calmer, behave better and as a result, instruction time is increased.
Simple playthings such as balls, jump ropes, hula hoops and riding toys do more for encouraging physical activity than swings, jungle gyms and other stationary or fixed playground equipment.