The Impact of Vigorous Physical Activity on Preschool and Kindergarten Children’s On-Task Behavior and Focus

This study aims to investigate the impact of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity on preschool and kindergarten-aged children’s on-task behavior and focus. The research took place over four weeks in a Montessori early childhood classroom with 15 children aged three to six. Each day, children participated in 12-15 minutes of physical activity, including running, jumping and marching, vigorous enough for them breathe hard. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative data tools to examine effects on ability to focus and to be on-task during the following two hours. The increased movement had a positive impact on the children’s transition to the next activity and on the rate of children being on task for up to two hours. Continued research is needed to determine effectiveness on focus