Physical Activity at School

RWJF Priority: Increase the time, intensity and duration of physical activity during the school day and out-of-school programs

Schools play a critical role in helping children lead active, healthy lives. By requiring active participation in daily physical education classes, providing activity breaks throughout the day, and supporting walking and bicycling to school, schools can increase students’ physical activity. After-school programs located in schools, parks and recreational centers also can develop innovative ways to help children be active.

The resources below, from RWJF grantees and partners, highlight recent efforts to examine and develop programs and policies that help children be active before, during and after the school day.

Childhood Obesity Policy Priorities

Featured

Kids Get Moving with Playworks

During recess, students at schools participating in the Playworks program engaged more physical activity that was, on average, more intense.

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From the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids

Creating a Healthy Place for Kids in Trenton, NJ

"A long time coming." The New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids helped make Monument Elementary School in Trenton a healthier place for students by leading efforts to build a new playground and install a salad bar in the cafeteria.

Watch the video

From Active Living Research

Study: P.E. Could Mean 23 More Minutes of Physical Activity for Kids

Requiring daily physical education in school could help young people be active for 23 minutes per day, which is more than a third of the total amount of daily physical activity experts recommend for young people.

Read the study

From Active Living Research

Do Short Physical Activity Breaks in Classrooms Work?

Providing short physical activity breaks during the school day can increase physical activity in students, help improve on-task behavior, and improve some measures of health.

Read the brief

From the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Terence C. Reilly School No. 7: Healthy Schools Program Gold National Recognition Award Winner

Principal Jennifer Cedeno chalks up her students' attention spans—and their academic performance—to an innovative physical activity and nutrition program.

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From Active Living Research

Policies and Standards for Promoting Physical Activity in After-School Programs

After-school programs can contribute to children’s overall daily physical activity, but their potential impact is far from being realized. This brief examines offers recommendations for changing standards and policies to better promote physical activity in after-school programs.

Read the brief

From the Safe Routes to School National Program

Safe Routes to School: Helping Communities Save Lives and Dollars

By getting more children to walk and bicycle to school, Safe Routes to School initiatives can reduce traffic congestion around schools and increase children's physical activity levels.

Read the report

Health Policy Snapshot

Do Students Who Are More Active Do Better in School?

Physical activity is linked to cognitive and behavioral benefits for students, such as improved concentration, better school attendance, and fewer classroom disruptions.

Read the brief

More Research and Resources on Physical Activity at School

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A Poll About Children and Weight

February 25, 2013 | Survey/Poll

This poll provides new insights into the epidemic of childhood obesity and the challenges families face between school and sleep.

Physical Education and Student Activity

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

A new policy was set in place in 2009, adopted by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) after audits revealed that the district was not enforcing physical education (PE) minute requirements.

District and School Physical Education Policies

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

The association between PE polices at the district and school level, as well as the overall PE environment, and PE and recess time is addressed in this study.

YMCA's Pioneering Healthier Communities

November 5, 2012 | Program Result

A Progress Report: Combating childhood obesity through local and state policy change.

Padres Unidos Advocates for Recess Before Lunch

April 11, 2012 | Program Result

The Healthy Students, Healthy Minds project of Padres Unidos is working with Denver school board officials to implement a recess-before-lunch policy in all public schools, a schedule that gets kids to eat better and reduces discipline problems.

Communities Creating Healthy Environments: Improving Access to Healthy Foods and Safe Places in Communities of Color

April 11, 2012 | Program Result

Communities Creating Healthy Environments aims to curb childhood obesity in communities of color by using community organizing for social justice to advocate for policy changes color. Read this report on its progress.

New Evidence Strengthens Case for Increasing School-Based Physical Activity

September 25, 2009 | Issue Brief

Kids who are active and fit tend to perform better in the classroom.

Physical Environmental Correlates of Childhood Obesity

March 6, 2009 | Journal Article

This article provides a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between environmental and community factors and childhood obesity. While these factors are thought to contribute to childhood obesity, the nature of the relationship is not well understood.

The Boston Schoolyard Initiative: A Study of Its Schoolyard Renovations

October 3, 2008 | Program Result

Researchers in the Boston University Department of Environmental Health conducted a case study of the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, a project that provides funds and technical support to community groups dedicated to renovating schoolyards in Boston.

Mississippi Healthy Summit Leads to Increased Physical Activity Requirements in Schools

July 14, 2008 | Program Result

The state of Mississippi convened the Healthy Mississippi Summit, June 15, 2006, in Jackson, Miss., to focus attention on the primary causes of chronic diseases in Mississippi and to promote a statewide approach to promoting healthy lifestyles.