Are Preschools Allowing Enough Activity for Children?

Dear Dr. Cory:

During visits to our son’s intended preschool, it seemed like the children did not go outside a lot. My husband and I want to be sure that our active son gets the chance to release some of his energy. Any suggestions on making sure the school provides this opportunity?

M. M.
Oklahoma

Dear Ms. M.:

Kathleen Clarke-Pearson, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests: “Please continue to do exactly what you are doing. Visit your son’s school and various preschools (that have been highly recommended by friends and/or by your local school district). Ask for a weekly schedule so that you can see how often and how long outside time is each day.

“Visits to individual nursery schools will allow you to observe how active the staff is in engaging the children in physical play as well as whether there is enough equipment for the little ones to interact with. If the school is in an area where it is cold for many months, it’s important to be sure that the staff plans sufficient indoor physical games and music/dance activities for the children.”

A study published in the January/February 2009 issue of Child Development found that preschoolers were inactive during most of their preschool day. Even when outside, a time when children are expected to move around, 56 percent of their activities were sedentary. Investigators also noted that teachers rarely encouraged the children to be physically active. Children were more likely to be active when balls and other items were available, and when there were open spaces in which to play. “The low levels of children’s activity and the lack of adult encouragement point to a need for teachers to organize, model, and encourage physical activity,” says the study’s lead author, William H. Brown.

Recommendation

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that preschoolers accumulate at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity daily. They should also engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours per day of unstructured physical activity and not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.