Dynamization of the Recesses of Children of 3, 4, and 5 Years: Didactic Proposal

Introduction

At present, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the population is escalating, and even more quickly in recent decades (WHO, 2018; DHSC, 2019). The minimum recommendations for physical activity (PA) prescribed by these organizations are not being met and the rates of physical inactivity are increasingly higher for all age group, in addition this situation is now being seen more and more in younger ages in developed countries due to various changes in lifestyles, with more sedentary habits prevailing (Verloigne et al., 2012; Van Dyck et al., 2015).

Educational administrations and society in general seem to transfer much of the responsibility associated with this situation to the educational center, since it is in this center where they spend a large part of their waking time (Ridgers, Stratton, & Fairclough (2006). Although schools cannot nor should not be unaware of this situation the reality is that in most public schools time dedicated to the practice of structured physical activity is insufficient, often as mandated by their administrations (Kahn et al., 2002), and in any case, it focuses on the compulsory stages, being almost forgotten or left up to each region or educational center to determine it’s execution during the school day.

The educational legislative frameworks shows how in the stage of Early Childhood Education, special mention is made of the integral development of the person and points to physical, motor, emotional, affective, social and cognitive development, in addition to final objetives. It places great importance of acquiring good nutritional, hygenic, and healthy habits which contribute to the care of one's own body and the spaces in which daily life takes place, and to the progressive autonomy of boys and girls. Despite these arguments, the stated objectives are not clearly established nor intricately linked to a specific area related to it such as Physical Education (PE).

One of the ways to improve the levels of physical activity in schoolchildren is, without a doubt, to pay attention to the moments when they can be active during the school day: active commuting; active breaks; Physical Education sessions and school recess. The scientific literature has focused part of its interest in the study of these moments centered on children and adolescents (Kim & Macdonald, 2016; Sallis et al., 2015; Chillón et al., 2009) but there is a lack of research in the early childhood stage, and especially on that age group during recess time. Pellegrini & Smith (1993), define recess as a time interval where children normally rest outside the building, and studies such as those of Martínez, Aznar, & Contreras (2015) or Mota, Silva, Santos, Ribeiro, Oliveira, & Duarte (2005) highlighted the possibility of promoting and increasing physical activity of schoolchildren during this period to achieve the desired activity recommendations. It is this area where physical activity and a healthy lifestyle should be generated and encouraged, giving students the opportunity to be active, thus counteracting sedentary time at home and at school, reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, and improving their well-being physically, socially and academically.

The curriculum plan and proposal that is presented in this chapter tries to enable the educational center and the teachers with a methodological strategy for the organization of human and material resources, during the time and area of recreation as part of health center project. Games will be the backbone of the interdisciplinary and global work for these levels, and a proper selection of actions included within the curriculum provides the ability for an increase in the physical activity of our students which can aide in the integral development of the person in society.