Effects of different types of classroom physical activity breaks on children’s on‐task behaviour, academic achievement and cognition
Abstract
Aim This study examined the effects of different types of classroom physical activity breaks on children's on-task behaviour, academic achievement and cognition. Methods Participants were 87 Australian primary school students (mean age 9.11 ± 0.62 years), recruited from one school. Three classes were randomly assigned either to activity breaks only (n = 29), activity breaks and mathematics combined (n = 29), or control conditions involving only mathematical content (n = 29). Students were engaged in five minutes of classroom physical activity breaks, three times per week, for four weeks (divided into two minutes at the beginning of the usual mathematics curriculum lesson and three minutes in the middle of the lesson). Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-test. Results Significant group-by-time effects were found for on-task behaviour (active engagement: activity breaks and mathematics combined versus control, p ≤ 0.001; activity breaks versus control, p ≤ 0.001; activity breaks and mathematics combined versus activity breaks, p = 0.037; passive engagement: activity breaks and mathematics combined versus control, p ≤ 0.001) and mathematics scores (activity breaks versus control, p = 0.045). Conclusion Physical activity breaks with and without integrated mathematics content were effective in improving children's on-task behaviour and learning scores.
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Of the eight studies that analysed effects on academic performance, four used grades in academic subjects, three used standardised test results, one measured mastery of the basic facts test, and one analysed mathematics and reading performance with the speed test arithmetic and the 1 min test.
“Of the eight studies that analysed the effects on academic performance, four used grades in academic subjects [40,48,49,50]; meanwhile, three studies utilised standardised test results [43,49,55], one took measurements of the student’s mastery of the basic facts test [47], and one analysed mathematics and reading performance with the speed test arithmetic and the 1 min test [45].”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [47]
Mavilidi et al. [47] reported a significant (p = 0.045), positive relationship between active breaks and academic performance.
“Mavilidi et al. [47] reported a significant (p = 0.045), positive relationship between active breaks and academic performance”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [47]
Mavilidi et al. [47] reported an insignificant (p > 0.05) relationship between cognitively engaging, active breaks and PA.
“but reported an insignificant (p > 0.05) relationship between cognitively engaging, active breaks and PA”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [47]
Mavilidi et al. [47] reported active breaks had no significant (p > 0.5) effect on executive functioning compared to the control condition.
“Mavilidi et al. [47] reported that active breaks had no significant (p > 0.5) effect on executive functioning compared to the control condition”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [47]
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The synergy of embodied cognition and cognitive load theory for optimized learning
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“Of the eight studies that analysed the effects on academic performance, four used grades in academic subjects [40,48–50]; meanwhile, three studies utilised standardised test results [43,49,55], one took measurements of the student’s mastery of the basic facts test [47], and one analysed mathematics and reading perform…”
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- Authors
- Mavilidi, M. F., Drew, R., Morgan, P. J., Lubans, D. R., Schmidt, M., & Riley, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- University of Bern (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Mavilidi, Myrto F.
- Venue
- Acta Paediatrica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-07-15
- Volume
- 109
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 158-165
- ISSN
- 0365-1436 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-5253
- 1651-2227
- OpenAlex
- W2962594047
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 10.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Paediatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
- Bern Open Repository and Information System (University of Bern) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Keywords
- on-task behavior, academic performance, mathematics achievement, cognitive function, elementary school students, active engagement, passive engagement, recess
- MeSH terms
- Academic Success, Attention, Child, Cognition, Female, Humans, Male, Mathematics, Exercise
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