Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Using Physical Activity to Teach Academic Content: A Review of the Literature and Evidence-Based Recommendations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Physical Activity and Health Promotion in the Early Years

Part of the book series: Educating the Young Child ((EDYC,volume 14))

  • 3752 Accesses

Abstract

There is currently considerable interest in increasing physical activity and improving early literacy in preschool children. Preschool academic lessons taught using physical activity have been shown to be an effective approach to increasing daily physical activity while also improving early literacy. In this chapter, we will provide teachers and practitioners with information on how to alter the classroom environment in order to use existing academic lessons taught using physical activity. The rationale and effectiveness of preschool academic lessons taught using physical activity on improving early literacy will be discussed. Low cost, practical examples and strategies will be provided and reviewed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Children Birth to Five Years. (2008) (pp. 5–11). Reston, VA: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), an association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

    Google Scholar 

  • Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Children From Birth to Age 5. (2009). (2nd ed.).: Saddle Stitching.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barros, R. M., Silver, E. J., & Stein, R. E. (2009). School recess and group classroom behavior. Pediatrics, 123(2), 431–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basch, C. E. (2011). Physical activity and the achievement gap among urban minority youth. Journal of School Health, 81(10), 626–634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benham-Deal, T. (1993). Physical activity patterns of preschoolers during a developmental movement program. Child Study Journal, 23, 115–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bornstein, D. B., Beets, M. W., Byun, W., & McIver, K. (2011). Accelerometer-derived physical activity levels of preschoolers: A meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 14(6), 504–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W. H., Pfeiffer, K. A., McIver, K. L., Dowda, M., Addy, C. L., & Pate, R. R. (2009). Social and environmental factors associated with preschoolers’ nonsedentary physical activity. Child Development, 80(1), 45–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buck, S. M., Hillman, C. H., & Castelli, D. M. (2008). The relation of aerobic fitness to stroop task performance in preadolescent children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40(1), 166–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, S. A., Fulton, J. E., Lee, S. M., Maynard, L. M., Brown, D. R., Kohl, H. W., 3rd, & Dietz, W. H. (2008). Physical education and academic achievement in elementary school: Data from the early childhood longitudinal study. American Journal of Public Health, 98(4), 721–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castelli, D. M., Hillman, C. H., Buck, S. M., & Erwin, H. E. (2007). Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 29(2), 239–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christie, J., & Roskos, K. (2006). Standards, science, and the role of play in early literacy education. In D. Singer, R. Golinkoff, & K. Hirsh-Pasek (Eds.), Play = learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth (pp. 57–73). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Coe, D. P., Pivarnik, J. M., Womack, C. J., Reeves, M. J., & Malina, R. M. (2006). Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(8), 1515–1519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eastman, W. (1997). Active living: Physical activities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Early Childhood Education, 24, 161–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Efrat, M. (2011). The relationship between low-income and minority children’s physical activity and academic-related outcomes: A review of the literature. Health Education & Behavior, 38(5), 441–451.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etnier, J. L. (1997). The influence of physical fitness and exercise upon cognitive functioning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, 249–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eveline, V. C., Valery, L., Jessica, G., Ilse, D. B., & Greet, C. (2012). Preschooler’s physical activity levels and associations with lesson context, teacher’s behavior, and environment during preschool physical education. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(2), 221–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fulton, J. E., & Shitabata, P. K. (1999). CO2 laser physics and tissue interactions in skin. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 24(2), 113–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabbard, C., & Barton, J. (1979). Effects of physical activity on mathematical computation among young children. Journal of Psychology, 103, 287–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gettinger, M., & Stoiber, K. (2008). Applying a response-to-intervention model for early literacy development in low-income children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 27, 198–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottlieb, J., Alter, M., Gottlieb, B. W., & Wishner, J. (1994). Special education in urban America: It’s not justifiable for many. The Journal of Special Education, 2(7), 453–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, C. H., Buck, S. M., Themanson, J. R., Pontifex, M. B., & Castelli, D. M. (2009). Aerobic fitness and cognitive development: Event-related brain potential and task performance indices of executive control in preadolescent children. Developmental Psychology, 45(1), 114–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, C. H., Castelli, D. M., & Buck, S. M. (2005). Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function in healthy preadolescent children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 37(11), 1967–1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, C. H., Pontifex, M. B., Raine, L. B., Castelli, D. M., Hall, E. E., & Kramer, A. F. (2009). The effect of acute treadmill walking on cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent children. Neuroscience, 159(3), 1044–1054.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarrett, O. S., Maxwell, D. M., Dickerson, C., Hoge, P., Davies, G., & Yetley, A. (1998). Impact of recess on classroom behavior: Group effects and individual differences. Journal of Educational Research, 92, 121–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kibbe, D. L., Hackett, J., Hurley, M., McFarland, A., Schubert, K. G., Schultz, A., & Harris, S. (2011). Ten years of TAKE 10!((R)): Integrating physical activity with academic concepts in elementary school classrooms. Preventive Medicine, 52(Suppl 1), S43–S50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozol, J. L. (1991). Savage inequalities: Children in America’s schools. New York, NY: Crown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwak, L., Kremers, S. P., Bergman, P., Ruiz, J. R., Rizzo, N. S., & Sjostrom, M. (2009). Associations between physical activity, fitness, and academic achievement. Journal of Pediatrics, 155(6), 914–918. e911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahar, M. T. (2011). Impact of short bouts of physical activity on attention-to-task in elementary school children. [Review]. Preventive Medicine, 52(Suppl 1), S60–S64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(12), 2086–2094.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mamedova, S., & Redford, J. (2015). Early childhood program participation, from the National Household Education Surveys Program of 2012 (NCES 2013-029.REV). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manly, T., Anderson, V., Nimmo-Smith, I., Turner, A., Watson, P., & Robertson, I. H. (2001). The differential assessment of children’s attention: The test of everyday attention for children (TEA-Ch), normative sample and ADHD performance. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 1065–1081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNaughten, D., & Gabbard, C. (1993). Physical exertion and immediate mental performance of 6th grade children. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 77, 1155–1159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, P., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2013). Early academic skills and childhood experiences across the urban–rural continuum. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28(2), 234–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). PRevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among us children and adolescents, 1999–2010. Journal of the American Medical Association, 307(5), 483–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, M., Schofield, G. M., & Kolt, G. S. (2007). Physical activity in preschoolers: Understanding prevalence and measurement issues. Sports Medicine, 37(12), 1045–1070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pate, R. R. (2001). Assessment of physical activity and sedentary behavior in preschool children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 13, 129–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D., & Bohn, C. M. (2005). The role of recess in children’s cognitive performance and school adjustment. Educational Researcher, 34(1), 13–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasberry, C. N., Lee, S. M., Robin, L., Laris, B. A., Russell, L. A., Coyle, K. K., & Nihiser, A. J. (2011). The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literature. Preventive Medicine, 52(Supplement (0)), S10–S20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., Robertson, D. L., & Mann, E. A. (2001). Long-term effects of an early childhood intervention on educational achievement and juvenile arrest: A 15-year follow-up of low-income children in public schools. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(18), 2339–2346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sallis, J. F., Patterson, T. L., McKenzie, T. L., & Nader, P. R. (1988). Family variables and physical activity in preschool children. Journal of Developmental and Behavior Pediatrics, 9(2), 57–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schorr, L. B. (1988). Within our reach: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage. New York, NY: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, B. A., & Etnier, J. L. (2003). The relationship between physical activity and cognition in children: A meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 15, 243–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirard, J. R., & Pate, R. R. (2001). Physical activity assessment in children and adolescents. Sports Medicine, 31(6), 439–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, P. (2008). The physical activity levels of preschool-aged children: A systematic review. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23, 547–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teaching and Learning, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL, USA

    Stacie M. Kirk

  2. Department of Applied Health, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL, USA

    Erik P. Kirk

Authors
  1. Stacie M. Kirk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erik P. Kirk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stacie M. Kirk .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical and Health Education, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, USA

    Hannah Brewer

  2. Journal and Book Series Editor Springer, Emerita, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA

    Mary Renck Jalongo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kirk, S.M., Kirk, E.P. (2018). Using Physical Activity to Teach Academic Content: A Review of the Literature and Evidence-Based Recommendations. In: Brewer, H., Renck Jalongo, M. (eds) Physical Activity and Health Promotion in the Early Years. Educating the Young Child, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76006-3_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76006-3_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76004-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76006-3

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation