Premium
Enhancing Children's Participation in Physical Activity
Author(s) -
DeMarco Terri,
Sidney Ken
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1989.tb04739.x
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , physical education , physical activity , psychology , physical fitness , value (mathematics) , medical education , developmental psychology , medicine , gerontology , physical therapy , pedagogy , machine learning , computer science
The school's role in enhancing children's participation in physical activity, particularly activities considered vigorous, is examined in this article. Children often elect not to take physical education classes. Even students who take physical education frequently fail to show marked gains of fitness since the intensity, duration, and nature of activities are inadequate to elicit cardiorespiratory adaptations. However, the school can and should play a major role in promoting children's interest in aerobic physical activities. Furthermore, the school can sustain this involvement by encouraging students to enroll in physical education by teaching the value of regular, vigorous physical activity, and by providing opporiunities to engage daily in vigorous yet enjoyable activities. Recommendations are offered for increasing exercise participation and for improving children's attitudes toward physical activity within the school environment.