Incorporating Movement into the Classroom: Increasing Physical Activity in Schools with Instant Recess

Students spend up to 9 hours a day in school and are inactive most of that time. To meet the national recommendation that youth be physically active for 60 minutes daily, opportunities for physical activity are needed before, during and after school. Physical activity breaks, bursts of physical activity incorporated throughout the school day, are part of the solution to the lack of physical activity provided for students. In 2011, School Health Connection (SHC) partnered with Instant Recess, an evidence-based physical activity intervention developed by Dr. Toni Yancey of the UCLA School of Public Health, to bring the program to New Orleans. Instant Recess is one example of a physical activity break program that can be easily implemented by schools. Instant Recess 10-minute physical activity breaks are videos composed of simple, easy to learn exercises that are designed to require minimal disruption of classroom routine. SHC conducted a rigorous evaluation of Instant Recess and used the results to identify barriers to implementation and develop improved strategies for implementing Instant Recess. SHC has since trained more than 310 teachers at 8 New Orleans schools how to incorporate Instant Recess and other types of physical activity breaks into their classrooms. Physical activity breaks are a great tool for teachers to reengage and reenergize students, drawing their attention back to learning while promoting their overall health and wellness. This presentation will discuss lessons learned from implementing in-class physical activity breaks in New Orleans schools and recommended strategies for designing a similar intervention.