Physical activity and sedentary behaviour

An overview of Physical activity and sedentary behaviour 

Being physically active is vital for the well-being and development of pre-school children and is an important component in addressing unhealthy weight in children. Data from the UK in 2015 showed that only 9% of 2-4 year olds were sufficiently active¹.

Practitioners working with pre-school children and their families are in a good position to educate and support parents to promote an active lifestyle in their families.  

Module aim:

This module will provide an overview of physical activity and sedentary behaviour and its importance to pre-school children - and also highlight the various types of activity that can be recommended to pre-school children and their families.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Explain the importance of physical activity for health (and building physical activity into everyday life)
• Explain the recommended physical activity levels for pre-school children
• Explain the term sedentary behaviour, and the risks associated with being sedentary.
• Work with families to identify ways of increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour.

This module consists of the following sections: