Playground markings may encourage more physical activity

(7.) Stratton, G. & Leonard, J. (2002). The Effects of Playground Markings on the Energy Expenditure of 5-7 Year Old School Children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 14, 170-180.

Target Group: 5-7 year old school children

Program Name: none specified

Location: England

Program Theory: unknown

Study Rationale:
- elementary school recess represents a large block of school time for children to engage in physical activity
- experts suggest that young children best accumulate physical activity in unstructured, play environments
Study Objective: To evaluate the influence of colourful and bright school playground markings on children’s energy expenditure (measure of physical activity).

Study Design:
- Quasi-experimental research design
- Two schools, randomly assigned to experimental and control.
- 27 intervention students from one school, 20control student from another school
- children’s energy expenditure monitored by heart rate monitors

Intervention or Program:
- children aided in the design of markings painted in bright, fluorescent colours on the playground asphalt: a castle, dragon, pirate ship, clock face, flower maze, fun trail and dens, hopscotch, letter squares, snakes and ladders and a circular maze
- playground markings were linked to 10 themes through which the school delivered a curriculum
- markings were evenly spaced around the playground area

Impact on Physical Activity:
- percent of playtime spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity significantly increased in intervention group after the markings were added to the playground
- before intervention, intervention group spent 27 minutes of playtime in moderate or vigorous physical activity; post-intervention, this increased to 45 minutes of moderate of vigorous activity.