Boosting Teen Activity: Classroom Lessons Go Outside

Sitting still isn't good for anyone. It can lead to heart problems, mental health struggles, and other health issues. Schools have a big role to play in keeping kids active. They can reach children from all backgrounds during a large chunk of their day. One way schools can do this is by teaching outside the classroom, known as Education Outside the Classroom (EOtC). This method mixes learning with physical activity, which is why it's thought to be a good way to get kids moving more.A study in Denmark wanted to see if EOtC could really help. They trained teachers to use EOtC methods and had them teach outside for at least 5 hours a week. The teachers did this for a whole school year. The results showed that kids in these classes were more active during school hours, but not outside of school. This means that while EOtC can make a difference, we need to find ways to make it even better or add more activities. The study involved 503 kids aged 9-14 from 20 schools. The classes that used EOtC had kids doing an average of 238 minutes of outdoor learning each week. This led to kids being about 20% more active during school time compared to kids in regular classes. But it didn't affect how much they moved outside of school. To make EOtC even more effective, the study suggests adding more activities or changing how it's delivered.