Kindergarten pupils could do with some PE, pilot study suggests

Kindergarten children taking part in a University of Malta pilot study were physically active for an average of just over two hours during the school day, with researchers saying the findings indicate a need to introduce structured PE lessons to early school years.

The KG-PAM pilot study, led by Andrew Decelis from the university’s Institute for Physical Education and Sport, tracked 111 children and 30 educators to measure how much time young pupils spend moving versus being sedentary while at school.

Children wore hip-mounted accelerometers for five consecutive school days, allowing researchers to collect objective data rather than rely on observation or self-reporting.

Preliminary findings show that children accumulated an average of 100 minutes of light physical activity a day, 18 minutes of moderate activity and seven minutes of vigorous activity during school hours.

That amounts to 125 minutes of physical activity of any intensity, including 25 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Researchers said the figures point to a need for more movement during the school day, while noting that global activity guidelines apply across a full day, not only school hours.

Those guidelines recommend that young children spend at least 180 minutes a day doing a variety of physical activities, including at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.

Decelis said the findings showed “a clear opportunity for intervention” and suggested that the PE programme already in place in primary schools should be extended to kindergarten.

A pilot PE programme in the early years, he said, could help establish whether structured lessons lead to a meaningful increase in physical activity.

“This is crucial for immediate health and well-being and for developing physical literacy, giving children the competence and confidence they require to remain active for life,” he said.

The study comes after the government last year unveiled Fitmap, a standardised fitness test for schoolchildren. That system was launched as a pilot in six state schools before a planned roll-out across state secondary schools. At the time, Decelis said such monitoring could help build national strategies on fitness.

Marvin Spiteri, education officer for primary physical education, said the early years should be targeted through PE lessons, while stressing that physical education and general physical activity were not the same thing.

Jude Zammit, director general for curriculum, said the education ministry wanted research to lead to practical outcomes.

“We must ensure the prompt execution of evidence-based strategies that prioritise the needs of the child,” he said.

The data collection phase was marked during an activity at San Ġwann Primary School.

The project, funded through the University of Malta SEED Fund, will now move into formal data analysis. Researchers will also examine whether children’s activity levels are linked to those of their teachers and learning support educators.

The research team said the pilot was aligned with methods used at Nord University in Norway, allowing Malta’s findings to be compared internationally and used to inform future school-based health policies.