Physical Activity in Schools

Why is physical activity important in my classroom?

Students who are physically active experience many benefits including:

• Improved academic performance (especially in areas of executive function, memory, and attention)
• Improved focus
• Improved sleep quality
• Reduced risk of certain mental health concerns (depression and anxiety)
• Improved social and problem solving skills
• Improved physical health (cardiovascular health, muscle strength)

How can I enhance physical activity within my classroom?

There are many ways to enhance your student’s physical activity, these include:

• Exercise breaks throughout the day, especially between subjects or before settling into desk work
• Creating a movement friendly environment (creating space for movement, making movement stations around the classroom)
• Incorporate movement into classroom learning (associating movements with lesson components has been shown to increase learning/ memory)
• Promote extracurricular activities that incorporate physical activity (intermural sports, track and field etc)
• Being active is an important part of staying healthy and feeling good. At Southwestern Public Health (SWPH), we want to help students, teachers and families include more movement in their school day. 
• When possible move classroom activities outside or to other parts of the school

When incorporating physical activity in classrooms it may be helpful to keep in mind that physical activity breaks don’t have to be long, and they should be easy/ accessible. The best movement is the movement that happens consistently.

What initiatives exist to help improve physical activity at my school?

There are many programs and initiatives that can help to improve your student's physical activity. Here are just a few:

How can my school nurse help improve physical activity at my school?

Your school nurse can help you improve physical activity in your school in many ways. Within your classroom they can:

• Offer suggestions on how to create an environment which facilitates activity
• Provide you with lesson plans that incorporate movement
• Consult with you on specific opportunities

At the whole school level your nurse can:

• Facilitate programs such as: The Recess Program and Playground Activity Leaders
• Connect the school to community organizations such as Active and Safe Routes to School and Act-i-Pass to improve accessibility to physical activity for students
• Assist your school in finding grants that improve physical activity through:
  • Playground improvements
  • Access to sports
  • Funds for equipment
  • Please visit our grant page for more information, found here.