A research study funded by Active for Life and the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program – Children and Families Component, compared results of 23 centres that were provided with guidance on how to incorporate physical literacy programming in the form of physically active play into their daily schedule, compared with 16 control centres that were given no special intervention.

The Physical Literacy Proof of Concept Study in Child Care Settings study, published in the peer-reviewed international journal of Social Policy and Education, measured the impacts of adding physical literacy programming for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in 39 child care centres in Alberta and British Columbia over a period of two years. The study “found big benefits in all areas of child development (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical), including significant improvements in executive function, language and communication skills, and emotional self-regulation”. Moreover, early childhood educators participating in the study “also reported that including more physically active play, every day, made their work easier, more effective—and more fun!”

The study findings were that:

·      Children who received physical literacy programming improved their fundamental movement skills (FMS).

·      Study group infants showed a strong increase in locomotor skills.

·      Study group toddlers showed improvement in manipulative skills and across all FMS.

·      Study group preschoolers showed improvement in manipulative skills.

·      Across all ages, study group children showed the strongest improvement in manipulative skills and a total overall improvement in all FMS.

As well, educators who were given lesson plans an information on how to engage children in physically active play and develop physical literacy reported improvements in behaviour, problem-solving, adaptability to change, self-calming, focus and concentration in the children with whom they were working. Improvements were noted in the bond amongst children, staff, and families. The educators found it was easy and inexpensive to incorporate physical literacy work into their programming, requiring little prep time, space or equipment, and that their own sense of wellbeing improved and they “spent more time engaging and interacting with children”.

The free, downloadable intervention tools developed by the Early Years Physical Literacy Research Team and used in the study, included:

• APPLE Model – the overall framework for providing active play and physical literacy everyday.

• APPLE Seeds – a 12-week evidence-based program designed to support educators to include physical literacy in their daily programming.

• Hop Skip and Jump – an evidence-based resource manual for parents, caregivers, and professionals.