Movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare facilities: Prevalence, content, and associations with facility
Brianne A Bruijns1,2, Hannah J Coyle-Asbil1, Sophie M Phillips1
1School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1201 Western Road, Elborn College, Room 2547, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada.
Insights
Canadian childcare facilities show inconsistent movement behaviour policies, with physical activity policies more common than those for sedentary behaviour, screen time, or sleep. Provincial legislation significantly influences policy adoption, highlighting a need for better coordination and support.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Public Health Policy
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Early childhood is crucial for developing healthy movement behaviours.
- Childcare settings significantly influence these behaviours due to children's time spent there.
- This study examines movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a national overview of movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare facilities.
- To investigate associations between policies and facility characteristics.
- To examine the link between policies and provincial/territorial legislation.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional online survey of 1,340 Canadian childcare facility directors/owners.
- Data collected on written policies for physical activity, sedentary behaviour/screen time, and sleep.
- Logistic regression analyzed associations with facility characteristics and legislation.
Main Results:
- 50% had physical activity policies, 61.1% had no screen time policies, 68.7% had outdoor activity policies.
- Policies for limiting seated time (17.0%) and ensuring nap durations (46.6%) were less common.
- Facilities in areas without legislation had fewer policies; urbanicity and size mattered; home-based care differed from centres.
Conclusions:
- Movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare are inconsistent and influenced by governance and context.
- Policies for physical activity are more prevalent than those for sedentary behaviour, screen time, or sleep.
- Improved coordination, support, and professional learning are needed for equitable child movement opportunities.
Background:
Early childhood is a critical period for establishing healthy movement behaviours, including physical activity, sedentary behaviour, screen time, and sleep. Childcare represents a key setting for shaping these behaviours, as many young children spend a substantial proportion of their waking hours in these environments. This study provides a national overview of movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare facilities and examines associations with facility characteristics and provincial/territorial legislation.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was completed by directors/owners of childcare facilities across Canada (n = 1,340). Respondents reported on the presence and characteristics of written policies across physical activity, sedentary behaviour/screen time, and sleep domains, along with facility characteristics. Descriptive statistics summarized policy prevalence, and thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended responses. Logistic regression models examined associations between facility characteristics (urbanicity, childcare type, enrolment size, daily fees) and the presence of written movement behaviour policies, as well as associations with explicit mention of these behaviours in provincial/territorial legislation.
Results:
Written policies were reported by 50.0% of facilities for overall physical activity, 61.1% for providing no screen time, and 68.7% for outdoor physical activity; fewer reported policies limiting prolonged seated time (17.0%) or ensuring age-appropriate nap durations (46.6%). Policies addressing educator professional development and family education were uncommon (< 21% and < 12%, respectively). Facilities in jurisdictions without explicit movement behaviour legislation were significantly less likely to report written policies for overall physical activity, prolonged seated time, and nap duration (p < .01). Urbanicity (p = .044) and enrolment size (p = .027) were associated with the presence of physical activity and nap duration policies, respectively, while family-/home-based childcare facilities had substantially lower odds of reporting a no screen time policy (OR = 0.22, p < .001) and higher odds of reporting a policy for prolonged seated time (OR = 1.94, p = .033) compared to centre-based facilities.
Conclusion:
Movement behaviour policies in Canadian childcare settings are inconsistent and strongly shaped by governance and childcare context. While policies for physical activity and outdoor play are common, formal guidance for sedentary behaviour, screen time, sleep, and educator and family education remain limited. Greater coordination, implementation supports, and investment in professional learning may promote more equitable movement opportunities for young children in Canada.
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