This chapter presents a pilot study that sought to examine the practices and policies that can encourage children's physical activity in preschool settings located at Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation instrument was used to measure the quality of the physical activity environment. The findings show that preschool settings present multiple limitations that may hinder children's physical activity and motor development. It should also be noted that policies are practically non-existent as there is a clear absence of physical activity content within the guiding documents in preschool education contexts. Further, there were no education opportunities provided to program staff. It is paramount to engage policymakers and other stakeholders in discussions that provide quality environments to encourage physical activity among preschool children.
TopIntroduction
Many discussions around how to help individuals flourish throughout childhood have taken place across the globe (Skouteris et al., 2012), specifically concerning social, cognitive, emotional, and motor development (Kirk & Jay, 2018; True et al., 2017). Preschool children are at a sensitive developmental stage and need opportunities to develop a range of skills that may enhance their ability to become fully capable of having a full life now and in the future as adults (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009). As such, the “whole child” approach has been used to frame the need to foster motor, cognitive, emotional, and affective development as key cornerstones of childhood education (Jenkins et al., 2018).
Considering the importance of motor skill development and physical activity, many researchers have raised awareness about the importance of preschool settings in providing meaningful developmental opportunities for young children by increasing playtime, engagement in structured and nonstructured activities, and fostering positive relationships with adults and peers in a physically and psychologically safe environment (Ang, 2014; Peden et al., 2017). As such, the quality of preschool settings has been considered crucial for children to become physically active and proficient movers throughout life (Hastie & Wallhead, 2015). Indeed, long-term benefits from quality preschool settings include increased motor competence, the ability to problem-solve, and establish relationships with others. Conversely, inappropriate levels of physical activity have been linked to several risk factors associated with overall health and school readiness (Bakken et al., 2017). Indeed, physical activity has been considered an important indicator of the quality of life in children and youth (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019).
Nevertheless, previous studies (Barnett et al., 2019) have highlighted that preschool children, in some cases, have low physical activity levels, motor competence, and lack support from preschool teachers and parents. Furthermore, as stated by Skouteris et al. (2012), “we are a long way from forming universal or comparable guidelines for preschool children” (p. 176). This is particularly true for the Portuguese context since guidelines for physical activity within preschool contexts are scarce. Therefore, this chapter provides insights into educational conditions, opportunities, practices, and policies that promote and encourage physical activity across eleven different preschool contexts. This chapter represents the first glance at preschool contexts located in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.