Utilising active play in schools to improve physical activity and fundamental movement skills in Scottish children

It is widely accepted that children in Scotland, as in other high-income countries,are not engaging in sufficient moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity(MVPA), the consequences of which can be adverse for health and wellbeing. Inthis paper, it is contended that active play (a form of gross motor or total bodymovement in which children exert energy in a freely chosen, fun, and unstructuredmanner) has potential to redress this deficit in MVPA. This paper reflects onlessons learned from active play interventions in Scottish schools, providingrecommendations for schools on how to encourage more active play. It is arguedthat promoting active play during school break times and in the after-school period,and participating in active play interventions are promising ways of increasingchildren’s MVPA and improving their fundamental movement skills.