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Physical activity intervention improves executive function and language development during early childhood: The

Lisa S Olive1,2,3, Rohan M Telford4, Elizabeth Westrupp1,2

  • 1School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Child Development
|October 6, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The Active Early Learning (AEL) program improved preschool children's executive function and expressive vocabulary. This childcare-based physical activity intervention showed positive effects on inhibition and language development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Pediatric Health
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Executive function and expressive vocabulary are crucial for early childhood development.
  • Childcare settings offer opportunities for structured physical activity interventions.
  • Previous research indicates a link between physical activity and cognitive development in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of the Active Early Learning (AEL) intervention on executive function and expressive vocabulary in preschool children.
  • To determine if a center-based physical activity program integrated into childcare routines can enhance cognitive and language skills.
  • To investigate the effectiveness of AEL using a randomized controlled trial design.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 314 preschool children aged 3-5 years from 15 Australian childcare centers.
  • Children were randomly assigned to either the AEL intervention group (n=170) or a control group (n=144).
  • Intervention involved integrating AEL physical activity into the daily childcare routine.

Main Results:

  • The AEL intervention demonstrated a significant positive effect on children's inhibition, a key component of executive function (β=0.5, p=.033, d=0.29).
  • Significant improvements were observed in expressive vocabulary among children in the AEL group (β=1.97, p=.001, d=0.24).
  • The intervention was effective in enhancing both executive function and expressive language development.

Conclusions:

  • Integrating the Active Early Learning physical activity intervention into daily childcare routines effectively enhances early childhood executive function and expressive language.
  • The AEL program provides a viable model for promoting cognitive and linguistic development in preschool settings.
  • Findings support the use of structured physical activity programs in childcare to foster holistic child development.

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