Teaching Developmentally Appropriate Physical Activities During Planned Active Breaks in Schools

Abstract

Considering that global physical activity levels in young children continue to decline, planned breaks during the school day provide a unique opportunity to promote the importance of physical activity while also increasing student engagement in movement activities. This article provides information on the benefits of and recommendations for active breaks.

Planned active breaks during the school day allow students to move and be physically active beyond physical education. The most common breaks during the school day are planned active breaks and lunch. Considering that global physical activity levels among young children are gradually declining (Neville et al., 2022), planned breaks provide a unique opportunity to promote the importance of physical activity while also increasing student engagement in movement activities. It is recommended that students who spend most of their time at school should engage in a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily (Pate et al., 2006). In this context, students’ need for physical activity should be supported by offering a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program. Such a program can be offered to students during class, planned active breaks, and other transitional times. Planned active recess is one of the best times for every student to be active. This article provides information on the benefits of offering planned active break times during the school day and offers recommendations for active breaks.

Planned Active Breaks and Physical Activity

Planned active breaks can be seen as the time during the school day when students perform physical activity most efficiently. Planned active break times programmed by school administrators and teachers have the potential to reach students at all grade levels and prevent sedentary lifestyles. The planned active breaks procedure recommended by leading organizations states that (a) planned active breaks should not replace physical education classes, (b) appropriate equipment should be provided, (c) necessary rules and safety measures should be established, (d) physical activity should not be used as punishment, (e) activities during planned active breaks should take place before lunch, and (f) school administrators and teachers should be trained (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators, 2017). It is thought that structuring physical activities to be carried out during planned active breaks within the framework of these rules may have a positive effect on students’ participation in physical activity and their social and emotional development (Erwin et al., 2022). Several studies have indicated that physical activity during planned active breaks meets 40% of the students’ daily physical activity needs (Parrish et al., 2020). Thus, it can be stated that planned active breaks have a significant impact on students’ physical activity levels. It is thought that when activities suitable for students’ developmental characteristics, interests, and needs are carried out in schools, and the necessary equipment is provided, students’ participation in physical activity during planned active breaks will increase.

It has also been found that students’ participation rate in physical activity is higher as a result of (a) changing the playground, (b) providing a variety of equipment, (c) offering structured recess and lunch activities, and (d) creating targeted activity zones for physical activity during recess and lunch (Hamer et al., 2017; Powell et al., 2018).

In addition to the benefits of planned active breaks on physical activity levels, such activity will contribute to students’ academic success. It can be argued that students who participate in a planned active break program structured with physical activity will have a higher perception of academic courses (Erwin et al., 2019). In addition, recess and lunch breaks are times during the school day that provide the opportunity to socialize while participating in physical activity. The socialization of students during this time period also supports their social–emotional development (McNamara et al., 2017). One study concluded that a structured, planned active break program can help students’ social development and problem-solving skills (Haapala et al., 2014).

Reaping the many health and educational benefits of planned active breaks need not be difficult. Table 1 lists a few physical activity ideas available via YouTube that can be easily implemented during planned active break times.

Table 1. Physical Activity Ideas for Planned Active Breaks

Application area	Resources
Planned active breaks	5 Elementary Physical Education Activities for Structured Recess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntcc3OlN_dI
	5 Structured Recess Activities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vrXFJELtpc
	10 Recreational Games (10 Fun & Easy Games for Kids) | Physical Education Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIzuY4CchbI
	Kindergarten Fun Game — Ball into the Ring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsBBmE7CxC0
	Rethinking Recess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_VbtsGBLN0

Conclusion

Planned active breaks are important for students to prevent a sedentary life and to be more active during school. Planned active breaks, which meet a significant part of the daily physical activity needs of children and young people, can make significant contributions to their academic success, as well as their social, emotional, and physical health. For physical activity programs during the school day to become the norm, school administrators and teachers can be provided with trainings to raise awareness on this issue. In addition, students should be supported to participate in physical activity with supervised activity areas and safe equipment so that they can participate in physical activity throughout the school day.

Funding

Open Access funding was provided by the Qatar National Library.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bijen Filiz

Bijen Filiz is an associate professor in the Department of Coaching Education at Afyon Kocatepe University in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye.

Selin Şimşek

Selin Şimşek is a PhD student and Hüseyin Ünlü is a professor in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Aksaray University in Aksaray, Türkiye.

Hüseyin Ünlü

Selin Şimşek is a PhD student and Hüseyin Ünlü is a professor in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Aksaray University in Aksaray, Türkiye.

Ferman Konukman

Ferman Konukman ([email protected]) is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Education at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar.

Andrew Sortwell

Andrew Sortwell is in an adjunct position in the School of Health Sciences and Physiotherapy at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney, Australia and the Research Centre in Sports, Health and Human Development, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.