Running, jumping, skipping, and climbing - whatever your preschooler is into, getting enough physical activity is vital for their health, well-being, and development. Despite this, statistics show that more than eight in 10 young children (age 2-5 years) do not get enough activity for optimal growth and health.
Now, the University of South Australia alongside Telethon Kids Institute in Western Australia is undertaking new research to get young Australian children (aged 2-5 years) more physically active while at early childhood education and care services (ECEC), such as day care and kindy.
The study hopes to identify successful ways to boost children's energetic play in environments that can be supported by new policy guidelines to ensure sufficient exercise.
Currently, while regulations and policies exist for children's nutrition, sleep, and sun protection, there are no mandated policies on physical activity levels for children.
Children will wear 'superhero belts' (AKA colourful, lightweight, waist-worn accelerometers) over eight days, to track their physical activity from when they get up in the morning, to when they go to bed at night. This will include days when the child attends kindy or day care as well as days when they are at home.
Funded by the MRFF, participating early childhood education and care services will be supported by Play Active. The only program of its kind in Australia, Play Active provides evidence-informed guidelines about the amount of physical activity and sedentary time (including screen time) children should do while attending ECEC.
The new study represents the largest implementation trial of a physical activity assessment and policy for early childhood education and care services globally, as well as the first sustainability trial in these settings.
UniSA researcher Kylie Dankiw says boosting active play is vital for children's development.
"Young children need to be active and involved in energetic play, every day. Not only is it fun, healthy, and great for their physical development, but it also helps improve attention, memory, and language development," Dankiw says.
"Many young children in Australia are not meeting recommended physical activity levels, posing significant risks to their long-term health and well-being.
"By working with early childhood educators and carers, we aim to ensure that all young Australian children have every opportunity to boost their physical activity levels and get excited by active play - whether in care or at home."
Co-researcher, UniSA's Prof Carol Maher, says the longer-term success of the Play Active initiative lies in standardised physical activity policies across early childhood education and care services nationwide.
"Australia's early childhood educators are extremely committed to supporting the healthy growth and development of young children in their care," Prof Maher says.
"But we need to appropriately support the sector - and the dedicated workers within it - to initiate positive change, and the grounding point is a nationwide activity policy.
"By standardising physical activity policies nationwide will we consistently be able to foster healthier environments for young children and keep them buzzing with energy."
The Play Active program is currently being implemented in Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia, with the next phase involving the national dissemination and implementation Play Active across all Australian states and territories.
