Physical Education and Physical Activity for Children

School physical education programs offer the best opportunity to provide physical activity to all children and to teach them the skills and knowledge needed to establish and sustain an active lifestyle.

Quality physical education offers learning opportunities, appropriate instruction, meaningful and challenging content. Recommended physical education program structure includes:

• Instruction periods totaling 150 minutes per week (elementary) and 225 minutes per week (middle and high school)
• Sequential curriculum of progressively more advanced skills and movement
• Qualified physical education teachers providing a developmentally appropriate program
• Teacher/student ratio in physical education no greater than 1:25 (elementary) and (1:30 middle/high) for optimal instruction (similar to other classroom settings)
• Full inclusion of all students, including those who are not athletically gifted and appropriate activities for children with disabilities
• Physical activity should never be used as punishment

Physical activity is bodily movement of any type and may include recreational, fitness, sport and daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs or raking the leaves. Similar health benefits to those received during physical education class are possible during physical activity when active at an intensity that increases heart rate and breathing.

Physical Activity:

• Reduces the risk for overweight, diabetes and other chronic diseases
• Assists in improving academic performance
• Contributes to the development and maintenance of healthy bones, muscles, and joints
• Reduces risk for depression, improves feelings of well-being

Sources: NCSL Staff Research; National Association for Sports & Physical Education; National Association of State Boards of Education; Trust for America’s Health; Center for the Study of Social Policy; NIHCM Foundation.

http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14027