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Preschoolers Less Active than We Think
Preschoolers (ages 3, 4, and 5) in a center-based preschool program are sedentary most of the time according to a study across 24 such preschool programs nationwide. Using data from the Chidren's Activity and Movement Preschool Study (CHAMPS) project, researchers categorized 89% of the children's activity as sedentary. Furthermore, when the children were outdoors, their activities were still sedentary 56% of the time.
As far as teacher input, they rarely attempted to increase the activity level of their students. An encouraging point to note is that when balls and outdoor toys were provided the activity levels increased.
William H. Brown, the study's lead author, concludes that these results "point to a need for teacher's to organize, model, and encourage physical activity."
Follow the lead of Mileage Club users across the country and get your preschoolers moving past sedentary to a higher level of activity.
Sources:
Brown, William H.; Pfeiffer, Karin A.; McIver, Kerry L.; Dowda, Marsha; Addy, Cheryl L.; Pater, Russell R. (2009). Social and Enviromental Factors Associated with Preschoolers' Nonsedentary Physical Activity. Child Development, Volume 80 (1).
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