Children’s physical activity in day care and preschool

Directly Observed Physical Activity among 3-Year-Olds in Finnish Childcare

“…The indoor context was primarily seden-72 tary in nature: 86% of indoor activities were observed as SB. This level of sedentariness is similar to that reported among US children (Brown et al, 2009b) and Finnish pre-schoolers (Reunamo et al, 2014), and considerably more than among children in the Netherlands .Children were sedentary, for instance when engaged in art or in large group activities organized or led by an early educator. Although several activity types and contexts were associated with higher PA levels, children were rarely observed indoors in activities such as running, climbing, pulling or pushing.…”

“…Barkley et al (2014) concluded that the presence of a friend contributes to increased PA behaviour in 3-to 6-year-old children. This is supported by Reunamo et al (2014), who showed that peers played a significant role in enhancing PA among Finnish 1-to 7-year-old children. However, peers and friends need to be involved in children's PA in a variety of ways (e.g., peer support, presence of peers, peer acceptance) if children are to be encouraged to lead a physically lifestyle (Fitzgerald et al, 2012).…”

“…In addition, cultural and genetic factors seem to transmit across generations, and may predispose an individual to be more or less active (Malina et al, 2004, p. 472). The most frequently studied variable, gender, has showed in several in early childhood studies that boys are significantly more active than girls Reunamo et al, 2014;Sallis et al, 2000). Although several studies have found no association between age and PA among preschool children (De Craemer et al, 2012;Sallis et al, 2000), Pfeiffer, Dowda, McIver, and Pate (2009) reported a positive association between higher amounts of MVPA and age, and Jackson et al (2003) found a positive association between children's total activity and age.…”

“…Clearly, early educators should not assume that, because children are playing outdoors, they are necessarily engaging in MVPA (Benham-Deal, 2005). Teacher help in getting play started is one effective method to increase the amount of children's PA (Reunamo et al, 2014).In general, children tend to be less active the larger the number of staff members present or involved in children's play Brown et al, 2009b;. This was also seen in the present study, where children were more sedentary when staff members were involved in their activities, or when the initiator of the play was an adult.…”

“…In line with this, previous studies have showed children to be significantly more active when jumping equipment was continuously present, or when a fixed track was marked on the playground , and that activitygenic portable equipment and riding vehicles appeared to foster MVPA . Readily available equipment, and real, heavy tools to work with, are methods that can be used to increase children's PA (Reunamo et al, 2014). Furthermore, a playground redesign, which utilizes multicolour playground markings and physical structures, may be a suitable stimulus for increasing children's recess PA levels .…”