Active Schools & Communities

Physical activity is an important part of meeting the growth and development needs of children and youth.  Communities, schools and parents can work together to help students develop attitudes and skills for life long physical activity.

By creating supportive environments and encouraging children and youth to make informed choices, we can help them establish patterns for healthy living that they‘ll carry into adulthood.

In a national survey of children ages 5-17 (CFLRI, 2000) over half were not active enough to support optimal growth and development.  Girls were less active than boys. Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth recommend that children increase their daily activity to include an additional 90 minutes per day.  This number can include 30 minutes at home, 30 minutes at school, and 30 minutes in the community.  It is important to educate children and youth about physical activity and their health, and to encourage them to be more active.

Research has shown the many benefits of physical activity.  Children and youth:

• Improve their performance in math, reading, memorization, and categorization (Keays & Allison, 1995).
• Are more likely to be active during their leisure time if they participated in a physical education class that day (Dale, Corbin, & Dale, 2000).
• Are less likely to smoke or consume alcohol or drugs (Tremblay, Inman, and Willms, 2000).
• Experience increased self-esteem and perceived physical competence, enabling them to cope with mental stress (DeMarco & Sidney, 1989).

Daily Physical Activity

In order to increase physical activity the Ministry of Education announced on October 6, 2005 that every elementary student must have a minimum of 20 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity each school day during instructional time.  The goal of daily physical activity is to enable all elementary students to improve or maintain their physical fitness and their overall health and wellness.  Daily physical activity may include walking, active games, dance, aquatics, sports, and fitness and recreational activities.

Active Playgrounds

An organized approach to recess activity, through the introduction of games and activities is a viable solution to reducing the sedentary behaviour of young children.  An active recess will assist in achieving:

• Increase physical activity levels.
• Teach movement and manipulation.
• Promote fair play.
• Reduce bullying.
• Promote creativity and problem solving skills.
• Teach cooperation and respect for others.
• Provide equal opportunity for all students.
• Be coed and inclusive of all students.
• Incorporate safety guidelines.
• Promote multiculturalism.
• Promote FUN and participation.

The Walking School Bus

The walking school bus (WSB) is an effective, low cost way to increase physical activity, maintain safety, and reduce car use and air pollution.

How does it work?  A designated parent or trusted adult leads a group of children on the walk to school.  Children may gather at the WSB leader’s home or the leader may go from house to house to collect the children.  In some communities, parents take turns being the WSB leader.

In Canada, the Walking School Bus concept is supported through the Active and Safe Routes to School initiative, which is spearheaded by Go For Green nationally, coordinated by Green Communities provincially, and implemented by school boards and public health.

Resources:

• Canada’s Physical Activity Report Card 2009 - The main source of information to assess physical activity levels comes from a Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) study that collects pedometer data and provides us with average number of steps taken per day and the proportion of children and youth meeting Canadian physical activity guidelines. It is important to remember that specific behaviours undertaken throughout the day have the ability to either increase or decrease the overall steps taken. Participation in organized sport and physical activity programs, active play and active transportation are all factors that contribute to the overall level. By contrast, screen time is generally a negative contributor to daily physical activity levels. The challenge with interpreting screen time is the emergence of active video gaming and its potential to shift the playing of video games, which historically has been exclusively sedentary, toward an activity that may potentially contribute to physical activity levels moving in a positive direction.

• Living School - Living School is a groundbreaking initiative that brings together entire communities - students, parents, teachers, administrators, boards of education, public health, sport and recreation organizations, community coalitions, local businesses, and municipal governments - to work together to support and enhance active, healthy living for children and youth.
• International Walk Your Child to School Day - For more information on International Walk Your Child to School Day, or to register on-line.
• Active & Safe Routes to School - Links the program to the elementary Ontario School Curriculum Expectations.
• Ontario Physical and Health Education Association - Provides support to Ontario’s school communities through advocacy, quality program supports and partnerships.
• Canadian Fitness & Leisure Research Institute - Extensive research on the importance of a physically active lifestyle.
• Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) - A national organization whose primary concern is to advocate for quality, school-based physical and health education.