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Are Gross Motor Skill Interventions an Equitable Replacement for Outdoor Free Play Regarding Children's Physical

Kara K Palmer1, Jacquelyn M Farquhar1, Katherine M Chinn1

  • 1School of Kinesiology, 158359University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|January 3, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Children in the Children's Health Activity Motor Program (CHAMP) engaged in less light physical activity but similar amounts of moderate-to-vigorous activity compared to outdoor free play. This highlights differences in activity intensity during structured interventions versus unstructured play.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric physical activity research
  • Motor skill development interventions
  • Childhood sedentary behavior analysis

Background:

  • Understanding children's physical activity patterns is crucial for public health.
  • Gross motor skill interventions aim to improve physical activity levels in children.
  • Comparing structured programs with free play provides insights into activity engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare physical activity levels between the Children's Health Activity Motor Program (CHAMP) and outdoor free play.
  • To determine if children accumulate equal amounts of physical activity in both environments.
  • To analyze different intensities of physical activity (light, moderate, vigorous, MVPA).

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 99 children (mean age 4.21 years).
  • Participants were randomly assigned to either the CHAMP intervention or a control group (outdoor free play).
  • Physical activity was measured using accelerometers (GT3X+ Actigraph) over four mornings.

Main Results:

  • Children in the outdoor free play group engaged in significantly more light physical activity than those in CHAMP.
  • No significant differences were found in moderate, vigorous, or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) between the groups.
  • Overall, children in CHAMP showed less light PA but equal amounts of other physical activity behaviors compared to free play.

Conclusions:

  • The Children's Health Activity Motor Program (CHAMP) may lead to reduced light physical activity compared to unstructured outdoor play.
  • Interventions should consider how to maximize all intensities of physical activity, including light activity.
  • Further research can explore strategies to optimize engagement in light physical activity within structured programs.
Abstract

Keywords:
childrenenvironmentmovementpurposerecess

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