Infusing Physical Activities into the Classroom: Effects on Preschool Children's Geography Learning

Y

8

Physical Activities; Intervention; Preschool Children; Geography Instruction; Task Analysis; Child Care Centers; Control Groups; Animals; Maps; Toys; Naming; Learning Processes; Teaching Methods; Retention (Psychology); Tests

10.1111/mbe.12131

1751-2271

In this intervention study, we investigated the effects of physical activities that were integrated into a geography task on preschool children's learning performance and enjoyment. Eight childcare centers with 87 four-to-five-year-old children were randomly assigned across an integrated physical activity condition, an unintegrated physical activity condition, and a control condition without physical activity. Children learned the names and a typical animal from each of the six continents using a floor-mounted world map with soft toy animals. Both learning conditions with physical activities showed higher performance than the learning condition without physical activities on an immediate retention test, and on a delayed retention test administered five weeks later. In addition, children in the physical activity conditions (integrated and nonintegrated) enjoyed their learning method the most. Infusing task-relevant physical activities into the classroom and the learning task is discussed as a promising way to improve children's learning, enjoyment, and health.

As Provided

2016

EJ1119988