Boosting Kids' Activity in School: Two Ways That Work

Every kid needs physical activity to stay healthy and learn well. Schools are the perfect place to get kids moving, but sometimes they're not so great at it. A study in Denmark tried out two new ways to get kids active during school hours. One was like extra gym class (Run, Jump & Fun), and the other was part of regular lessons (Move & Learn). They tested these ideas in seven schools for eight weeks with third-graders. Both ways worked, and they learned some things that could help make future programs even better. Kids spend a lot of time sitting in class, which isn't great for their health. That's why schools need to find ways to get kids moving more. Some schools try to add more physical activity, but it's not always easy. This study wanted to see if two new ideas could work. One was called Run, Jump & Fun, which was like extra gym class. The other was Move & Learn, where physical activity was part of regular lessons. These two ideas were tested in seven schools in Denmark. Third-grade students and their teachers tried them out for eight weeks. The schools got some help with how to make these ideas work. The kids' activity levels were checked before, during, and after the eight weeks. After trying out these two ideas, the schools found that both worked. But they also found some things that could make future programs even better. These suggestions can help other schools and researchers create better ways to get kids moving during the school day.