ActivEd Blog

We talk a lot about the academic benefits of physical activity for students, but the benefits go beyond just increasing test scores. Being physically active can have a huge impact on student health. Standards-based Walkabouts can help students get active without taking away from instructional time. Learn how! 

We have an updated abstract on the Walkabouts research from the Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, and Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine. From the abstract:

Schools represent a natural choice for promoting physical activity (PA); however, school time provided for physical education and PA has continued to decline, primarily due to increased time focused on meeting academic achievement goals. An evolving literature demonstrates that PA in the classroom represents a promising avenue not only for increasing the PA of youth but also for facilitating academic achievement and classroom engagement. Classroom-based PA has been recommended by a number of national organizations as a potential avenue for children to meet the PA guidelines. However, structured PA programs that make clear connections with the academic standards in different subject areas across different grades are limited. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the “Walkabout” web-based program that integrates PA with academic subjects through an active learning platform on children from preK to 2nd grade. 

Learn more about the research here.While Walkabouts are not a replacement for physical education, they are a great way to incorporate physical activity into the classroom. Make sure your students get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day by getting Walkabouts in your classroom.

One focus of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is preventative care for children of all ages. The CDC's website, http://makinghealtheasier.org/getmoving, has a series of great infographics for all age groups. Visit their site to see the interactive version of the following infographic that focuses on how kids are spending their time. 

Looking to help your children get more active? Learn more about how Walkabouts help kids move while learning, making learning more fun and more effective.

Teaching math can be a challenge. Is it better to start early? PBS Newshour recently aired a piece on the benefits of teaching math to 3-year-olds. In Boston public schools, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds are getting started on the basics. From the video: 

"Early math is surprisingly important. What kids know in their preschool or entering kindergarten year about mathematics predicts their later school success. In mathematics, sure, that makes sense, but it even predicts later reading success, as well as early literacy skills do.

Early math is cognitively fundamental. It’s not just about number and shapes. There’s reasoning and thinking embedded in what we do in early mathematics that forms a foundation for years to come." Doug Clements, early learning expert at the University of Denver.

The piece shows how important it is to get children learning early through engaging methods. That's why our prekindergarten Walkabouts have been so helpful for early education. Walkabouts are correlated to Head Start and soon to National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards to support early childhood educators. Kids are moving and having fun while learning key concepts. Ready to start using active learning to engage your students? Learn how!

Active learning is important for all students, but it is especially beneficial to those with ADHD or ADD. Being physically active while learning helps students to increase focus and decrease hyperactivity. ADDitude magazine recently published an article highlighting the benefits of using Walkabouts for students with ADHD. From the article: