Active Play in the Classroom: Episode 1
The latest Active Play, Every Day episode: Active Play in the Classroom, challenges the traditional sedentary school model and explores how embedding movement throughout the school day through action-based learning can transform focus, behavior, academic performance, and student well-being.
Imagine a school where academic performance soars, behavior issues dwindle, and mental health concerns diminish. This is not just a dream but a reality for many schools implementing active play strategies. In this blog post, we explore insights from the Active Play Everyday podcast, hosted by Dr. Emily, in which she discusses the transformative impact of action-based learning on children's education with Principal Paul Travers.
The Need for Movement in Education
Dr. Emily and Paul Travers highlight a growing movement in education that integrates physical activity into and throughout the school day through action-based learning. Paul shares his personal journey, recalling how a supportive middle school PE teacher sparked his love for movement, which ultimately shaped his educational philosophy. He emphasizes that many children, like himself, struggle to sit still in traditional classroom settings, making it essential to find ways to engage them through movement.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Student Well-Being and the Need for Movement
As schools began to reopen during the pandemic, Paul noticed a significant number of families expressing concern about sending their children back to school, especially in communities heavily affected by health issues. At Washington Elementary, where the majority of the students were African-American and lived in poverty, the need for physical wellness became even more pressing. Paul and his team recognized that to care for the whole child, they needed to dramatically increase opportunities for movement and health education.
Implementing Morning Movement and Active Learning
At Washington Elementary, Paul transformed the school day by introducing a program called "Morning Movement." Instead of starting the day with traditional social-emotional learning (SEL) blocks, students first engage in 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity. This includes a mix of speed and agility exercises, strength training, and concludes with mindfulness practices like yoga. The goal is to energize students and prepare them mentally for the learning ahead. Throughout the day, Principal Travers and his team implemented many opportunities for action-based learning, such as Plyo-math, indoor recess labs, and more.
Staff Training and Community Engagement
To ensure the program’s success, Paul leveraged district support and organized Active Based Learning training sessionsfor staff on how movement can enhance learning. He brought in experts to educate teachers about the science behind physical activity and its correlation with brain function, fostering a school-wide culture of wellness and encouraging families to adopt healthier habits together.
Positive Outcomes: Academic and Behavioral Improvements
The results of implementing the active play strategy were impressive. Washington Elementary exceeded state academic growth expectations for two consecutive years, increased our school performance composite by more than 10 points, and Principal Travers reported a remarkable 40% decrease in students who expressed self-harm. This indicates that not only were students performing better academically, but their mental health also significantly improved.
Today’s Active Play Prescription
Share this episode with your principal or PTA
Explore Action-Based Learning or local recess organizations
Review your school’s master schedule and identify movement “margins” (Educators)
Start with one small change and then build
Conclusion
The integration of active play into the school curriculum has proven to be a game-changer for both students and educators alike. By prioritizing movement and wellness, schools can foster an environment where children thrive academically and emotionally. Key takeaways from Paul’s experience include:
Movement is essential for engaging students and enhancing learning.
Community involvement, including family participation, amplifies the effects of wellness initiatives.
Training staff is critical to creating a supportive environment for movement-based learning.
Recommended Active Play in the Classroom Supply List
Provided by Principal Travers
1. Speed & Agility Lab
Quickness, coordination, reaction time, and rapid direction changes
Equipment
Agility ladder(s) — For footwork patterns that build speed and coordination.
Raised agility ladder — Adds elevation for increased difficulty and ankle stability.
Blaze Pods / reaction light pods — Light-based targets that train visual reaction time.
Reaction balls — Unpredictable bounce forces quick reflexes and movement changes.
Jump ropes — Improves foot speed, rhythm, and cardiovascular warmup.
Ladder drill movement cues — Visual prompts for movements like Carioca, high knees, butt kicks, skipping, and runinplace.
2. Strength & Conditioning Lab
Strength development, endurance, explosive power, aerobic work
Equipment
Resistance bands (various levels) — Provides scalable resistance for strength work.
TRX suspension bands — Use body weight for strength, stability, and core training.
Jump ropes — Used for sustained conditioning and footwork rhythm.
Plyometric box — For box jumps and step-ups to build lower-body power.
Dumbbells (various weights) — For strength training with progressive overload.
Step-up boxes (aerobic platforms) — Used for aerobic step patterns and endurance building.
3. Flexibility & Balance Lab
Mobility, stability, balance control, safe floor-based progressions
Equipment
TRX suspension bands — Supports assisted stretching and balance stability work.
Yoga mats — Cushioned surface for stretching and floor poses.
Yoga position poly spots — Visual floor markers that guide body placement for poses.
Balance beam (or low-profile beam) — Trains balance, posture, and controlled foot placement.
Tumble mats — Soft landing surface for stretching, rolls, and low-impact skills.
Gymnastic wedges — Incline mats that support tumbling progressions and flexibility drills.
Vaulting board — Assists with jump mechanics, takeoff control, and body alignment.
Foam cylinder trainers (gymnastics rollers) — Helps with shaping, core stability, and rolling progressions.
Inflatable air gymnastics mat — Provides cushioned support for tumbling, stretching, and balance drills.
Resources
Action Based Learning Academy - on a mission to change the future for all children through movement!
Beyond Sports NC - provides intentional opportunities through sports to positively impact people for life by breaking down barriers through access to programming and funding that address equity and unity in the Triad.
Yoga for Educators - Yoga practice for education professionals
The Crucial Role of Recess in School - AAP
Why Movement Matters in Math - edutopia
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Episode Sponsor
This podcast is sponsored by Nex Playground - An active play gaming system that helps kids move indoors through full-body games that support learning, coordination, and joy.
