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Best Practices
Best Practices for Physical Activity in North Dakota Early Childhood Programs
1. Active Play and Inactive Time- Provide children with at least 60 minutes daily to move their bodies in active play.
- Provide children with at least 60 minutes daily to move their bodies in planned games and activities.
- Provide adult-led physical activity to children two or more times per day.
- Provide outdoor active play time year-round two or more times per day totaling at least 60 to 90 minutes. (Refer to Child Care Cold Weather Guide for times and temperatures.)
- Active play time should never be withheld for children who misbehave.
- Ensure that infant's, toddler's, and preschooler's movement is not restricted for more than 15 minutes at one time (seated position, swings, exersaucers, etc.). A least restrictive environment is encouraged at all times.
- Rarely or never show television or videos, or use computers or video games (30 minutes per week for educational or physical activity purposes, none for children under age two).
2. Play Environment- Make a wide variety of fixed play equipment available that accommodate the needs of all children.
- Make a large variety of portable play equipment available for children to use at the same time.
- Make outdoor play equipment freely available to all children at all times.
- Outdoor play space should include open, grassy areas and a track/path for wheeled toys.
- Make indoor play space available for all activities, including running.
3. Supporting Physical Activity- Encourage children to be active.
- Join children in their active play.
- Provide visible support for physical activity through use of posters, pictures, and displayed books.
4. Physical Activity Education- Participate, and ensure staff participate, in training opportunities on physical activity (not including playground safety) two times per year or more.
- Provide routine physical activity education to support the development of emerging motor skills (tummy time, crawling, walking backwards, running, skipping, jumping, etc.).
- Offer physical activity education opportunities (flyer, newsletter, family fun event, community event, etc.) to parents two times per year or more.
5. Physical Activity Policy- Create a written policy on physical activity that is available to staff and parents and routinely followed, including items from the previous four physical activity key areas.
Sources used:
NAP SACC Program, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina, May 2007
Active Start, National Association for Sport and Physical Education, Reston, Virginia
Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs, Caring for Our Children National Health and Safety Performance Standards, Department of Health and Human Services, 2010
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