Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Outdor recreation for children'

Engaging children in natural settings enhances learning and promotes development while utilizing protected natural areas. However, many schoolchildren, especially from economically disadvantaged areas, lack support for environmental education (EE) to develop skills and attitudes to increase rates of appropriate, resource-protective behaviors. This causes resource degradation wherever children visit protected natural areas. Improved EE should reduce the amount of resource degradation when children visit natural settings. This project proposes a model program of replicable, low–cost, widely accessible critical thinking activities and materials designed to directly address this problem. The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Camp Ondessonk, and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge were partners in this project. The objectives were to create, test, evaluate, and disseminate tools for teachers in the form of a pre–visit program with three specific engagement methods to engage children in activities that cultivate critical thinking and encourage resource–appropriate behaviors. Original activities involving a discussion–based journal, handmade wristband, and interactive games were conducted during small–group interactive workshops at Camp Cedar Point in Makanda, Illinois and Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, Illinois (n=225). Pre/post program evaluations were administered, and camper behavior on a hike was observed. It was hypothesized that campers would shift towards a more pro–environmental attitude and exhibit lower rates of depreciative behaviors after any combination of activities than the control group of campers, and that a combination of all three methods of engagement would be the most effective approach in reducing depreciative behavior and changing attitudes towards resource protection, by addressing multiple motivations. The most effective combination of activities in changing attitudes was found to be the journal and games (p<0.01), although all combinations of the program activities resulted in attitude scores that were higher than the initial score (p<0.01). There was no significant change in behavior between treatments or between the control group and treatments. Possible causes and other considerations are discussed, including recommendations for future research on the effect of adult behavior modeling, reminders, and factors such as weather, gender, and group size on the depreciative rates of children. The activities will be combined into a PDF packet for distribution to teachers by land managers and environmental educators in the area.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Antioch University New England, 2010.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed July 22, 2010). "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England (2010)."--from the title page. Advisor: Heidi Watts Includes bibliographical references (p. 218-226).

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This study sought to investigate how children live and construct their infant cultures at school through play, and understand in which manner the teachers establish their teaching practices in these social and cultural relationships. This investigation contemplates the studies into children as a theoretical mosaic constructed historically to understand and discipline the child, in which it is possible to find the echoes of the theories and conjectures constructed in the past that, in relation to the child’s imagination, provide information that modern society was able to subtract the creative imagination and its spaces for participation, in the way it ended up being submitted to the control of adults and a rigid, suffocating, disciplinary program, in daily school life. Such truths about children and infancy repeat themselves, however they have transformed themselves because starting from the understanding of the architects of the Sociology of Infancy, among those such as Allison James and Alan Prout, 2003/2004; Corsaro,1997; Delgado and Müller, 2005; Manson 2001; Pinto and Sarmento, 1999; Saramago, 2000; Wajskop, 1999, the child, in current scientific works, has assumed a role as the subject of in these spaces, and strengthening the space of the protagonist in the socio-cultural constructions, with his or her peers as well as family relationships, as well as in the self-determination and alterity or even in what is considered giving the child a voice. Starting from these suppositions, this study is organized via three themes: The concept of the child and infancy and the relationship with play; Play in infancy in school; Play in regard to pedagogical practices. From these analyses, this study looked at analyzing the construction of these relationships that are established between the production of play culture and pedagogical practices elaborated by the teachers, seeking to understand the conceptions of infancy, play and school. For this objective to be reached, four specific objectives were established which discussed the identification of the conceptions of the teachers about infancy in school aspects; the identification of the social and educational relationships of children in the school through play; analysis of the academic works on infancy in contemporary society; as well as the identification of the games most used in schools. The survey was carried out at the Vila da Felicidade Municipal School, whose unusual location on the west side of Manaus in the Mauzinho district close to the CEASA port, made it possible to analyse different infantile manifestations because of the geographic location of the community where the school is located which permits an intimate relationship with the Solimões river and the communities on the other side of the river. This relationship is also present in the fabric of the classroom because there are students that live in the Catalão community which cross the river every day to study and share their experiences, stories and infancy with the children from this side of the river. The subjects of the survey were 147 students of the school and their respective teachers. The teachers and the students were considered collective subjects. The method consisted of participant observation of the leisure times and spaces with an ethnographic register in the field notebook. Training sessions and debates were carried out with the teachers so that they could discuss themes such as how the school figures as a play space; play as an educational strategy and the experiences of play between teacher and student. The observations of the leisure space at Vila da Felicidade, the patio, doesn’t provide the desirable material conditions necessary for the development of play activities, leisure or games and only five types of games were recorded: policeman and thief; soccer; hide and seek; dodge ball; and play house which are developed from the child’s imagination. Through the arguments presented, it is possible to deduce ways to comprehend the capacity for play that are natural, unmentioned by the teachers, in which roles should be assumed in relation to their constitution and development. It was observed that all of the empirical elements available led us to believe that the sessions have little or no impact on the ways that the teacher analyses the inclusion of play activities in daily school life. It was possible to comprehend that despite the scientific and academic comprehension of the teachers about play and its representations in the pedagogical work classically linked to prioritizing reading, writing, math activities, systematic investments in school notebooks, regular homework, report cards, which make up the obligatory part of the educational system for the parents has made teaching practice difficult to change in regard to play and infant culture. Emphasize the inter-relations between culture and cognition, the interlinking of socio-cultural processes put into action while playing and those demanded in the practices of the production of narratives, in the process of elaborating scientific concepts, can be configured as a promising strategy in order to bring the parents closer to a more conscious position about the importance of innovations in school culture. Certainly, it’s not just up to the teacher to create these arguments working alone. It must be understood that everyone, committed to the construction of a school and infancy of high quality, must be involved in this process, above all in what we refer to as the proposition of the theme in the areas of teaching training.
Investigar como as crianças vivem e constroem suas culturas de infância na escola a partir do brincar, buscando compreender de que modo os professores estabelecem suas práticas pedagógicas nessas relações sociais e culturais. Esta investigação compreende os estudos sobre a criança como um mosaico teórico construído historicamente para compreender e disciplinar a criança, no qual é possível encontrar ecos das teorias e conjecturas construídas no passado que, relativo ao aspecto imaginativo da criança, fornece informações de que a modernidade foi capaz de subtrair a imaginação criadora e seus espaços de participação, na medida em que terminou por submetê-la aos dispositivos de controle dos adultos e a um programa disciplinar rígido e sufocante, no seu ritmo cotidiano escolar. Tais verdades sobre a criança e sua infância se repetem, no entanto, têm se transformado, pois a partir da compreensão dos arquitetos da Sociologia da Infância, dentre eles Allison James e Alan Prout, 2003/2004; Corsaro,1997; Delgado e Müller, 2005; Manson 2001; Pinto e Sarmento, 1999; Saramago, 2000; Wajskop, 1999, a criança tem assumido, nas produções científicas atualmente, o papel de sujeito nesses espaços, e fortalecendo o espaço de protagonista nas construções socioculturais, tanto entre seus pares quanto nas relações geracionais, bem como na autodeterminação e na alteridade ou mesmo no que se considera dá voz à esta criança. Partindo desses pressupostos, esta pesquisa organiza-se a partir de três temas: O conceito de criança e infância e sua relação com o brincar; O brincar na infância nos espaços escolares; O brincar enquanto práticas pedagógicas. Partindo desses eixos de análise, esta pesquisa objetivou analisar a construção das relações que se estabelecem entre a produção da cultura lúdica e as práticas pedagógicas elaboradas pelos professores, buscando compreender as concepções de infância, brincar e a escola. E para que este objetivo possa ser alcançado estabeleceram-se quatro objetivos específicos cujos conteúdos versavam sobre a identificação das concepções do professor sobre a infância nos aspectos escolares; a identificação das relações sociais e educativas das crianças na escola através de suas brincadeiras; o levantamento da produção acadêmica sobre a infância na sociedade contemporânea; bem como a identificação das brincadeiras mais utilizadas na escola. A pesquisa teve como lócus a Escola Municipal Vila da Felicidade, cuja localização peculiar, na Zona Leste da Cidade de Manaus, no Bairro do Mauazinho, próximo ao Porto da Ceasa, possibilita a analise de diferentes manifestações infantis tendo em vista essa localização geográfica da comunidade onde a escola se encontra permitir uma intima relação com o Rio Solimões e com as comunidades situadas na outra margem, essa relação também está presente no tecido da sala de aula, pois há alunos que moram na Comunidade do Catalão, e que todos os dias cruzam o Rio para estudar e partilhar suas vivencias, histórias e infâncias com as crianças da outra margem do rio. Os sujeitos observáveis da pesquisa foram as crianças, totalizada em 147 alunos da escola, e os respectivos professores destas crianças, tanto as crianças quantos os professores foram considerados como sujeitos coletivos. O método consistiu na observação participante dos tempos e espaços de lazer, com o registro etnográfico em caderno de campo. Com os professores foram realizadas sessões de formação e debate a fim de que os mesmos possam discutir temas como a escola enquanto espaço para brincadeiras; o brincar enquanto estratégia educacional e as vivências das brincadeiras entre crianças e professores. O pátio, enquanto espaço para observação dos momentos de lazer das crianças da escola, não fornecia as condições materiais desejáveis para o desenvolvimento de atividade lúdicas, jogos e brincadeiras, mais elaboradas, e, por isso, foram registradas apenas 05 (cinco) tipos de brincadeiras: a brincadeira de polícia e ladrão, o jogo de futebol, as manjas variadas, cemitério e o jogo de casinha, o qual se desenvolve a partir da produção do imaginário da criança ao brincar. Pelas argumentações apresentadas pôde-se deduzir várias formas de compreensão sobre a capacidade de brincar que tendem para a sua naturalização, na medida em que o professor não mencionam – de modo mais preciso – qual papel deveriam assumir em relação a sua constituição e desenvolvimento. Observou-se que todos os elementos empíricos de que se dispõe induzem a concluir que as sessões tiveram pouco, ou possivelmente nenhum, impacto sobre os modos como, corriqueiramente, o professor analisa a inclusão de atividades lúdicas no cotidiano escolar, foi possível compreender que, apesar da compreensão acadêmico-científica dos professores sobre o brincar, as suas representações sobre o trabalho pedagógico, classicamente ligadas à priorização de atividades de leitura, escrita e cálculo, investimentos sistemáticos em produções nos cadernos escolares, envio regular de tarefas para casa, avaliações da aprendizagem formalizadas em boletins, as quais se configuram enquanto exigência do sistema de ensino e dos pais e/ou responsáveis tem dificultado a flexibilização da prática pedagógica em torno da ludicidade e valorização das culturas infantis. Enfatizar as inter-relações entre a cultura e cognição, o imbricamento entre os processos socioculturais colocados em ação no brincar e os exigidos nas práticas de produção de narrativas, no processo de elaboração de conceitos científicos, pode se configurar uma estratégia promissora para aproximar os familiares de uma posição mais consciente sobre a importância destas inovações na cultura escolar. Certamente, também, não cabe ao professor elaborar estes argumentos num trabalho solitário. Entende-se que todos, comprometidos com a construção de uma infância e de uma escola de qualidade, devem estar implicados neste processo, sobretudo no que se refere à proposição do tema nos espaços de formação docente.

The purpose of this study was to provide insight into the factors contributing to relatedness in children, specifically family recreation, and to look at relatedness between family members (family relatedness), and whether or not family recreation makes a contribution to this construct. Two instruments were used to collect data for this study. The Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP) measured family recreation involvement and satisfaction, and the Activity-Feelings States Scales (AFS) measured child and family relatedness. The sample included elementary school children between the ages of 6 years and 12 years (n1=405), and the parents of those children (n2=405). The data showed satisfaction with family recreation activities was a significant predictor of children's relatedness with their peers. The data also showed involvement in balance family recreation activities was a significant predictor of a family's relatedness with one another.

The participation of children and early and late adolescents in resistance training activities, including training for sport, appears to continually be on the rise. The involvement of youth in the sport of weightlifting and the use of weightlifting methods as part of training for sport performance also appears to be growing. The increased acceptance of these activities is evidenced by the number of both lay and scientific articles, specialized magazines and publications devoted to the different types of resistance training. It is also indicated by simple observation of fitness centres and sports training facilities. The use of resistance training appears to be growing in popularity despite poorly supported position statements, anecdotal reports and speculation concerning the potential for injury. Children and adolescents participating in resistance training programs can make noticeable increases in strength and power as well as physiological parameters associated with both health and sport performance. Although the number of children and adolescents (aged 8–18 years) involved in some form of resistance training is increasing and evidenced-based reviews that support these activities have been published, controversy still exists. There are still those who insist that training with free weights, particularly the sport of weightlifting, should not take place until a person is fully developed, even though there is not much objective evidence to support such a position. More recently published scientific data support the notion that properly supervised resistance training programs can improve sport performance, reduce injury potential and enhance healthy facets of children and early and late adolescents.

Physical activity during the school day is becoming more important as the health of our children stays below optimal levels. Yoga has been shown to increase physical activity levels and decrease stress. This study, guided by the Social Cognitive Theory's idea of reciprocal determinism, sought to determine the effects of a Yoga Calm^® certified classroom teacher incorporating yoga poses, breathing and relaxation techniques and games into every school day. Quantitative data were analyzed using a series of paired and independent t-tests, and self-reports revealed students receiving yoga decreased scores in stress and fighting, but increased scores in anger. Qualitative data were coded for themes and revealed the student's behavior improved, in particular an increase in focus and attention, and students were less fidgety. Yoga participation and use of breathing techniques increased at home and school, particularly when nervous, afraid, to prevent fighting, decrease anger, and to calm students down.

Previous research indicates that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) participate in lower levels of physical activity in general and community-based recreation activities in particular than their typically-developing peers (Lang et al., 2010; King et al., 2003). Swimming is a particularly valuable activity because of its health, safety, and social benefits (Rogers, Hemmeter & Wolery, 2003). To date, no research has examined the effectiveness of a training approach designed to teach swimming instructors in community-based recreation settings to support children with ASD in swim lessons. Using a quasi-experimental time series design, his study examined the impact of training package that consisted of a workshop and in-pool coaching on the instructional skill acquisition of six swim instructors. Effects of the training on child cooperation and skill acquisition were also examined across eight children with ASD. Results indicated gains for the majority of instructors and children immediately following completion of the training. In addition, social validity ratings by parents, instructor, and aquatics coordinators were uniformly high. The results and limitation of the study was discussed with reference to the behavioral literature on instruction and generalization, with implications for future research. This study provides preliminary support for the effectiveness of a simple instructional package for teaching recreation staff to teach swimming to children with autism in community pools.

Experts agree that children need access to green spaces. Many urban children live in degraded environments unsuitable for outdoor play. Children primarily play in school yards. Low-income and African American children are often the victims of social, economic, and educational inequalities leading to the under-allocation of resources for their public schools. Patterns of wealth, advantage and disadvantage are geographically visible in Philadelphiaâ s urban fabric in the segregation of many black and low-income neighborhoods. This is a direct result of historic urban development . Revitalization has aimed at rejuvenating the inner-city economically, but has lead to the displacement of many poor black families and increased segregation of classes. There is a high population of low-income African American children attending public schools in the inner-city. Philadelphia is known for their public-private funding partnerships for community projects and services. Funding problems resulting from low-tax revenue and disinterest of private investors have lead to a disparity in achievement and curriculum between city public schools, private, and suburban public schools. Federal policies attempt to lessen this gap and provide incentives for environmental education programs, but poorer schools lack the funding to expand curriculum and improve or maintain playgrounds. Philadelphiaâ s parks and recreation programs have tried to provide child playscapes to disadvantaged children and schools additional outdoor resources, but racial tensions and neighborhood segregation act as repressors to this success. Guidelines are needed to help create programs and policies that can mitigate disadvantaged childrenâ s environmental equity.
Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Preliminary studies suggest that martial arts participation may benefit children with Autism. Following on existing pilot studies, this investigation conceptualized mixed martial arts in terms of Applied Behavior Analysis and considered the impact of a mixed martial arts program designed for children with Autism on children's focus, attention, motor control, and social skills. This study followed two boys with Autism over the course of six weeks. Multiple behavioral observations, parent interviews, and instructor interview were conducted; Child Behavior Checklist and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2 were administered. One child, new to the program, evidenced dramatic gains in social skills, physical ability, respect, and overall attitude. A second child, participating in the program for more than a year, maintained previous gains in these same areas throughout the intervention. Results suggest that boys with Autism may benefit from participation in mixed martial arts training. Discussion considers advantages of martial arts over traditional behavior therapy for children with Autism, such as reduced cost, availability in most areas of the United States, and less stigmatization than a treatment setting.

Physical activity (PA) and reducing the time spent sedentary can favourably impact the health and wellbeing of preschool aged children. Despite the importance of regular P A, objective monitoring studies suggest that young children do not accumulate enough P A to benefit their health. Furthermore, relatively few interventions to promote PA in children under 5 have been rigorously evaluated and intervention studies to date have generated mixed results. The aims of this thesis were to a) assess within-day variability of objectively measured moderate-to- vigorous physical activity (MVP A) during weekdays and weekend days among preschool children; b) investigate the effect of a curricular Active Play intervention on children's sedentary and P A behaviours; and, c) investigate the effect of a family focused Active Play intervention on children's weekday and weekend day sedentary time and total P A. Study 1 Background: Identifying periods of the day which are susceptible to varying levels of P A may help identify key times to intervene and potentially change preschool children's PA behaviours. This study assessed variability of objectively measured MVP A during weekdays and weekend days among preschool children. Method: One hundred and eighty-eight children (aged 3-5 years; 53.2% boys) from a northwest English city wore uni-axial accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Results: Higher levels of MVP A were recorded in boys, particularly those who attended preschool for a half day. Children who attended preschool for a full day engaged in 11.1 minutes less MVPA than children who attended for a half day. After-school hours were characterised by a decrease in activity for all groups. Patterns of activity during the weekend were smoother with less variability. Conclusion: This study identified discrete segments of the week, specifically afterschool and during the weekend, when preschoolers engage in low levels of PA. Higher levels of MVPA among children who attended preschool for less time each day suggests that the structured preschool environment is related to decreased activity. Consequently, there is a need for interventions in young children to focus on school and home environments. - Study 2 Background: Early childhood is a critical time for the promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity. Cross-sectional studies suggest that preschool children are not sufficiently active to benefit their health. Few studies have investigated the effect of interventions on physical activity levels and time spent being sedentary in this population. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a school-based active play intervention on preschool children's physical activity and sedentary time. Method: Two hundred and forty children were recruited from 12 randomly selected preschools in the North West of England. Six schools were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n=6) or a current practice comparison group (n=6). One teacher in each intervention school received training in the delivery of a 6-week active play programme including active play resources. The training programme was delivered by experienced active play professionals. Comparison schools received the active play resources (but not the training) and were asked to deliver their usual active play provision. Children wore a uni-axial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline, post-test and at 6 months follow up. Whole week sedentary time and physical activity adjusted for pupil- and school- level covariates were analysed using multilevel analyses. Results: No significant intervention effects were observed for sedentary time or physical activity. Sex and hours spent at school were significant predictors of physical activity in this age group, with boys engaging in less sedentary time and more light intensity activity than girls. Children who spent fewer hours at school were significantly more active than those who spent more time at school. BMI, maternal education, child's ethnicity and accelerometer wear time were not associated with activity levels. Conclusion: Physical activity during intervention classes was high. However the six teacher training intervention sessions did not increase physical activity or decrease sedentary time over a week. Specific covariates were identified as having a significant effect on the outcome measures. Moreover, children who spend more time at pre-school were less active suggesting that this setting was not as conducive to physical activity engagement as other environments. Study 3 Background: Early childhood provides a window of opportunity for the promotion of physical activity. Given the limited effectiveness of interventions to date, new approaches are needed. Socio-ecological models suggest that involving parents as intervention targets may be effective in fostering healthier lifestyles in children. This study describes the effectiveness of a family-focused' Active Play' intervention in decreasing sedentary time and increasing total physical activity in preschool children. Method: Seventy-seven families were recruited from 8 randomly selected SureStart children's centres in the North West of England. Centres were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n=4) or a comparison group (n=4). Parents and children in the - intervention group received a IOeweek active play programme delivered by trained active play professionals; this included an activity and educational component. Families in the comparison group were asked to maintain their usual routine. Each participating parent and child wore a uni-axial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and post-test. Week and weekend day sedentary time and total physical activity adjusted for child- and home- level covariates were analysed using multilevel analyses. Results: Significant intervention effects were observed for sedentary time and physical activity for both week and weekend days. Children in the intervention group engaged in 1.5% and 4.3% less sedentary time during week and weekend days, respectively and 4.5% and 13.1 % more physical activity during week and weekend days, respectively than children in the comparison group. Parent's participation in sport and their physical activity levels, child's sex, availability of media in the home and attendance at organised activities were significant predictors of sedentary time and physical activity in this age group. Conclusion: A 10-week family focused active play intervention produced positive changes in sedentary time and total physical activity levels in preschool children. Specific covariates were identified as having a significant effect on the outcome measures. Moreover, children whose parents were active engaged in less sedentary time and more physical activity suggesting that parent's activity habits are mediators of physical activity engagement in this age group.

This study examined factors that motivate parents to involve their children in organized gymnastics programs. A questionnaire based on McCullagh et al.'s (1993) study of recreational soccer players was used along with open-ended questions. The questionnaire was administered to parents of children who were involved in a private gymnastics club. Descriptive statistics of 156 surveys showed that fitness, skill development, and fun were most frequently cited reasons for parents in their decision to enroll and keep their child in gymnastics programs. Competition was the least important factor. ANOVA showed that competition and team membership factors were more important to the parents of competitive gymnasts than parents of recreational gymnasts. Coaches and youth sport program organizers could use these findings to develop and market youth activity programs.

This session will provide PE teachers with specific strategies for modifying both formal and informal assessments for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With an increased emphasis on assessment, and a rise in the prevalence of ASD, it is critical that teachers can adapt assessments to meet the needs of students with ASD. Session participants will learn practical strategies for modifying assessment specific to motor skill performance, FitnessGram, rubrics, checking for understanding, and peer assessments.

Childhood obesity rates have increased three-fold since 1980 and up to 80% of obese children become obese adults. Since young children are forming habits that they will carry with them into adulthood, preschool represents an ideal setting to instill proper physical activity habits. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to assess the amount of physical activity in preschool children during three different recess conditions on separate days: free play, structured play and a control (non-active) condition.

Physical activity levels were measured in preschool children (N = 22) during three, 30-minute recess conditions; control, structured play recess, and free play recess. Children wore accelerometers for the duration the school day (165 minutes) for three days. Accelerometer counts during the recess sessions and for the entire school day were recorded. Each recess condition was completed on a separate day, but all during the same week. After all three recess conditions had been completed; the child was asked which recess period they preferred.

Children accumulated significantly (p = 0.001) more accelerometer counts during recess and for the entire school day in the free play (570 ± 460 counts.min^-1 at recess; 632 ± 232 counts.min^-1 during school day) and structured (1,416 ± 448 counts.min^-1 at recess; 629 ± 200 counts.min^-1 during school day) recess conditions versus the control condition (570 ± 460 counts.min ^-1 at recess; 462 ± 200 counts.min^-1 during school day). Accelerometer counts during recess and for the entire school day were not different (p = 0.9) between the free play and structured recess conditions. All children indicated that they preferred either the structured play (55%) or free play (45%) recess conditions over the control recess condition.

Presently both a structured play and free play recess condition were equally successful in increasing physical activity behavior and were preferred versus a non-active recess condition. Providing pre-school children with the opportunity to be physically active during recess successfully increases physical activity during the school day and is preferable to a sedentary recess.

The purpose of the study was to examine the leisure patterns of nonresident fathers while spending time with their child(ren), and to examine leisure constraints, leisure facilitators and nonresident fathers' satisfaction with family leisure activities. Four instruments were used to collect the data. Family leisure involvement was measured using the Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP), leisure constraints were measured using the Nonresident Father Leisure Constraint Scale (NFLCS), leisure facilitators were measured using the Nonresident Fathers' Leisure Facilitator Scale (NFLFS), and family leisure satisfaction was measured using the Family Leisure Satisfaction Scale (FLSS). The sample was nonresident fathers (n=129) from 36 states in the U.S. The data supported leisure constraints as a significant predictor of nonresident fathers' satisfaction with family leisure involvement, and their family leisure patterns. The data did not support, however, leisure facilitators as contributing to fathers' satisfaction with family leisure involvement or leisure patterns.

Numerous benefits are associated with physical activity participation with recent evidence indicating this may transfer into the classroom environment. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between attitudes towards active or passive physical activity participation and classroom engagement in elementary school children. Methods: Students (n = 67) in grades 3-5 completed The Children’s Self-Perceptions of Adequacy in and Predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA) and The Elementary Student Engagement Instrument (SEI). Results: A statistically significant positive correlation (r = .31, P < .05) was found between the CSAPPA and SEI indicating that students who prefer active participation in physical activity also report higher levels of engagement within the school environment. No statistical difference was noted between males and females or across grade levels. Conclusion: The results of this research support the benefits of physical activity participation within the school environment. The lack of statistical difference with regard to sex is also noteworthy in that research connecting physical activity and classroom engagement frequently indicates differences between males and females. This is possibly attributed to the inclusive culture established by the school which promotes and supports opportunities for all students. These findings are particularly relevant in light of current trends to reduce time spent in physical education, free play, and other physical activity opportunities within the school day

Thesis (M.S.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007.
"A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science." In Kinesiology, under the direction of Jim McMillan. ETD. Electronic version approved: July 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 44-48) and appendices.

Este trabalho propõe uma reflexão sobre o brincar na vida da criança que apresenta uma problemática intelectual, emocional e social. Destaca a Terapia Ocupacional e a contextualiza em relação aos temas presentes nas pesquisas que envolvem criança e deficiência: reabilitação e inclusão social. Apresenta a revisão da literatura sobre a infância e o brincar e delimita o recorte da Terapia Ocupacional: o brincar no cotidiano. Utilizando os fundamentos teóricos de Donald D. Winnicott, parte-se do pressuposto que o brincar é universal e próprio da infância saudável. A deficiência é entendida como uma problemática apresentada pela criança, seja física, intelectual, emocional e/ou social; ou seja, como mais uma das condições que a levará a estabelecer o seu jeito singular de brincar e estar no mundo. O trabalho caracterizase como uma pesquisa empírica, qualitativa, desenvolvida por meio de estudo de caso. A coleta de dados foi realizada na Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais de São Paulo (APAE de São Paulo) através de análise dos prontuários e de entrevistas com as mães. O tratamento dos dados foi realizado a partir da técnica de análise de conteúdo, segundo as proposições de Turato (2003). Foram entrevistadas três mães de três crianças que participaram do Programa Arte, Cultura e Esporte da APAE de São Paulo, mais conhecido como projeto PIPA. As falas das mães retrataram a vivência da infância das crianças: brincar, ter amigos, ir à escola, participar de festas e passeios. Observou-se que, das três crianças estudadas, duas encontraram espaços em que brincar e conviver com os pares foi possível, participando da escola, festas e passeios; entretanto, a outra criança ainda tinha apenas o PIPA como lugar possível para brincar, fazendo com que sua mãe continue em busca de um espaço
This work proposes a reflection about the playing experience to a child with intellectual, emotional and social problems. The study emphasizes the Occupational Therapy and contextualizes it in relation to themes of current researches involving children and disabilities: rehabilitation and social inclusion. Presenting a short revision of literature about childhood and play, this study gives the direction of Occupational Therapy intervention: the experience of playing in everyday life. Using the theoretical concepts of Donald D. Winnicott, it is understood that the act of playing is universal and characteristic of a healthy childhood. Disability is seen as a physical, intellectual, emotional and/or social problem presented by the child. It is seen as just one of the conditions that will establish their unique way of playing and being in the world. The investigation is an empirical and qualitative research, which uses the case study methodology. Data was collected at the Association of Parents and Friends of the Handicapped of São Paulo (APAE São Paulo) through examination of medical records and interviews with mothers. The data was analyzed through the technique of content analysis, according to the propositions of Turato (2003). Mothers of three children who took part in the Program Art, Culture and Sport of APAE, known as PIPA Project, were interviewed. They reported the childhood experiences of their children such as playing, making friends, going to school and parties. It was observed that two of the children have found spaces to play and socialize with peers, participating in school, parties and tours; however, one child had only the PIPA Project as a possible place to play, leading his mother to search for a new space

Camping has been identified as a resource for educational, therapeutic, and recreational growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychosocial effects of a therapeutic camping experience with first time campers with spina bifida. In this study with four first time campers with spina bifida, three areas related to the camp experience were observed and measured: recreation participation, fun/pleasure, and self esteem. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used, including the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory, the Recreation Participation and Fun Inventory, participant and non-participant observations, interviews, and a counselor questionnaire. The measurements of self esteem, recreation participation, and fun/pleasure were taken at three intervals, before camp, during camp and three weeks following the camp experience. The four camper case studies demonstrated that each camper experienced his/her own unique first time camp experiences.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a school-based cross-training program on body mass index (BMI), attitudes toward physical activity (ATPA), and physical activity (PA) levels of children in the 4th and 5th grades. Children (N = 118) were divided into control (n = 60) and experimental (n = 58) groups based on class availability. While the control group continued academic classes as usual, the experimental group participated in cross-training involving resistance training (RT), calisthenics, and stretching twice a week for 10 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention measures included height, mass, ATPA, and PA. BMI was calculated and ATPA and PA levels were assessed via questionnaire. The groups did not differ significantly (p > .05) for either pre- or post-intervention regarding BMI, ATPA, and PA. However, BMI and PA levels significantly increased over time for both groups (p ≤ .05). Overall, cross-training in a school setting may be a safe and enjoyable option for physical activity participation. BMI and PA increases were likely the result of the natural growth process and seasonal weather pattern changes, respectively. Nevertheless, the cross-training did not detract from PA levels and may have led to an overall increase in PA levels. As subdomain analyses revealed decreased attitude toward health and fitness in the experimental group, shorter programs involving RT with various protocols are recommended.

In children the way of life, nutrition and recreation changed in recent years and as a consequence body composition shifted as well. It is established that overweight belongs to a global problem. In addition, German children exhibit a less robust skeleton than ten years ago. These developments may elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases and skeletal modifications. Heredity and environmental factors as nutrition, socioeconomic status, physical activity and inactivity influence fat accumulation and the skeletal system. Based on these negative developments associations between type of body shape, skeletal measures and physical activity; relations between external skeletal robustness, physical activity and inactivity, BMI and body fat and also the progress of body composition especially external skeletal robustness in comparison in Russian and German children were investigated. In a cross-sectional study 691 German boys and girls aged 6 to 10 years were examined. Anthropometric measurements were taken and questionnaires about physical activity and inactivity were answered by parents. Additionally, pedometers were worn to determinate the physical activity in children. To compare the body composition in Russian and German children data from the years 2000 and 2010 were used. The study has shown that pyknomorphic individuals exhibit the highest external skeletal robustness and leptomorphic ones the lowest. Leptomorphic children may have a higher risk for bone diseases in adulthood. Pyknomorphic boys are more physically active by tendency. This is assessed as positive because pyknomorphic types display the highest BMI and body fat. Results showed that physical activity may reduce BMI and body fat. In contrast physical inactivity may lead to an increase of BMI and body fat and may rise with increasing age. Physical activity encourages additionally a robust skeleton. Furthermore external skeletal robustness is associated with BMI in order that BMI as a measure of overweight should be consider critically. The international 10-year comparison has shown an increase of BMI in Russian children and German boys. Currently, Russian children exhibit a higher external skeletal robustness than the Germans. However, in Russian boys skeleton is less robust than ten years ago. This trend should be observed in the future as well in other countries. All in all, several measures should be used to describe health situation in children and adults. Furthermore, in children it is essential to support physical activity in order to reduce the risk of obesity and to maintain a robust skeleton. In this way diseases are able to prevent in adulthood.
Die Lebens- und Ernährungsweise sowie die Freizeitaktivitäten von Kindern haben sich im Laufe der letzten Jahre verändert. Daraus resultieren Veränderungen der Körperzusammensetzung. Es ist hinreichend bekannt, dass Übergewicht ein globales Problem ist. Des Weiteren weisen deutsche Kinder ein weniger robustes Skelett auf als noch vor 10 Jahren. Diese Entwicklungen können zu unterschiedlichen Erkrankungen des Herz-Kreislauf-Systems bzw. des Skelettsystems führen. Neben genetischen Faktoren haben Umweltfaktoren wie Ernährung, sozialer Status, die körperliche Aktivität bzw. Inaktivität einen Einfluss auf die Fettakkumulation und das Skelettsystem. Aufgrund der negativen Entwicklungen wurden daher die Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Körperbautyp, Skelettmaßen und der körperlichen Aktivität; die Beziehungen zwischen der äußeren Skelettrobustizität, der körperlichen Aktivität bzw. Inaktivität, dem BMI und dem Körperfettanteil sowie die Entwicklung der Körperzusammensetzung insbesondere die äußere Skelettrobustizität von russischen Kindern im Vergleich zu deutschen Kindern überprüft. In einer Querschnittstudie wurden 691 Jungen und Mädchen im Alter von 6 bis 10 Jahren aus Berlin und Brandenburg untersucht. Es wurden anthropometrische Messungen vorgenommen, Fragebögen bezüglich der sportlichen Aktivität und Inaktivität beantwortet sowie ein Schrittzähler zur Bestimmung der körperlichen Aktivität von den Kindern getragen. Für den internationalen Vergleich der Körperzusammensetzung wurden Daten aus den Jahren 2000 und 2010 von deutschen und russischen Kindern verwendet. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass der pyknomorphe Körperbautyp die höchste und der leptomorphe Typ die niedrigste äußere Skelettrobustizität aufweisen. Leptomorphe Kinder könnten daher das höchste Risiko für Knochenerkrankungen im Erwachsenenalter aufweisen. Tendenziell zeigen pyknomorphe Jungen eine höhere körperliche Aktivität als die anderen Typen. Dies ist positiv zu bewerten, da die pyknomorphen Typen den höchsten BMI und Körperfettanteil besitzen. Wie die Resultate ergeben, kann die körperliche Aktivität zur Reduktion bzw. Inaktivität zur Erhöhung des BMIs und des Körperfettanteils führen. Die körperliche Inaktivität steigt mit zunehmendem Alter. Die körperliche Aktivität unterstützt weiterhin den Aufbau eines robusten Skeletts. Die äußere Skelettrobustizität ist ebenfalls positiv mit dem BMI assoziiert, so dass dargelegt werden konnte, dass der BMI als Maß für Übergewicht kritisch betrachtet werden sollte. Im internationalen 10-Jahresvergleich zeigt sich eine Zunahme des BMIs bei russischen Kindern und deutschen Jungen. Zurzeit weisen die russischen Kinder immer noch ein robusteres Skelett auf als die Deutschen jedoch ist das Skelett bei russischen Jungen weniger robust als noch vor 10 Jahren. Diese negative Entwicklung sollte weiterhin beobachtet werden auch in anderen Ländern. Alles in allem, sollten immer mehrere Maße zur Beschreibung des Gesundheitszustandes herangezogen werden. Weiterhin ist einer Förderung der körperlichen Aktivität bei Kindern notwendig, um zum einen das Risiko für Übergewicht zu minimieren und zum anderen ein robustes Skelett aufzubauen, um somit Erkrankungen im Erwachsenenalter vorzubeugen.

Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references.
The City of Cape Town Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department (COCT SRA) has drafted its own policy document on sport and recreation in order to align with national policy to guide efficient recreational service delivery. The COCT SRA should play a role in the development of all children within the communities it serves. The implementers of the recreational services thus play a vital role in ensuring efficient service delivery to all. The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of recreation officers regarding their contribution to enabling the inclusion of visually impaired children in the Come and Play Programme. Furthermore to illuminate potential barriers and facilitators to the inclusion of visually impaired children in order to facilitate policy implementation.

Introduction: The most popular method of stretching is static stretching. Vibration may provide a means of enhancing range of motion beyond that of static stretching alone. Purpose: This study sought to observe the effects of vibration on static stretching to determine whether vibration-aided static stretching could enhance range of motion acquisition more than static stretching alone in the forward split position. Methods: Ten highly trained male volunteer gymnasts were randomly assigned to experimental (N = 5) and control (N = 5) groups. The test was a forward split with the rear knee flexed to prevent pelvic misalignment. Height of the anterior iliac spine of the pelvis was measured at the lowest split position. Athletes stretched forward and rearward legs to the point of discomfort for 10 s followed by 5 s of rest, repeated four times on each leg and split position (4 min total). The experimental group stretched with the device turned on; the control group stretched with the device turned off. A pretest was followed by an acute phase posttest, then a second posttest measurement was performed following 4 wk of treatment. Difference scores were analyzed. Results: The acute phase showed dramatic increases in forward split flexibility for both legs (P < 0.05), whereas the long-term test showed a statistically significant increase in range of motion on the right rear leg split only (P < 0.05). Effect sizes indicated large effects in all cases. Conclusion: This study showed that vibration can be a promising means of increasing range of motion beyond that obtained with static stretching in highly trained male gymnasts.

Students, grades 3-5, completed instruments assessing perceived physical ability and school engagement. No significant relationships were found or differences noted for categories of BMI. The culture and focus of the school may explain this.

This text for early childhood special education pre-service and in-service teachers provides a unique and much needed focus on how to collaborate effectively with the wide variety of professionals who work with young children who have developmental delays.

A large proportion of UK children do not meet the recommended guidelines for participation in physical activity, which is a public health concern as the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is rising. Increasing perceptions of competence and levels of fundamental movement skill proficiency are potential strategies to promote physical activity. The aims of this thesis were to, a) investigate the prevalence of skill proficiency and levels of perceived physical competence in UK children, b) examine the relationships between fundamental movement skill competence and physical self-perceptions with children's physical activity, fitness and body fatness, and c) determine the effectiveness of non-curricular interventions to increase fundamental movement skills and enhance perceptions of competence. The first stage of research presented is the cross-sectional study of 152 children (41% boys; Age mean 9.7?0.3 years), which were recruited from 8 primary schools. Children completed the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile (CYPSPP) and were assessed on 8 skills using video-analysis and process measures. In addition, cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during a treadmill protocol to exhaustion; body fat (%) was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; and physical activity was assessed by accelerometers over 7 days. The results revealed that children generally had positive perceptions of their physical self. However, levels of physical self-perceptions did not significantly predict physical activity behaviour. Perceptions of physical condition and physical strength were weak predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness and percent body fat, collectively explaining 7% and 7.8% of variance. Children's perceptions of competence were not related to their actual competence levels. Prevalence of proficiency in fundamental movement skills was low-to-moderate in boys and low in girls. Chi-square tests revealed a significantly (P < 0.01) higher proportion of boys were rated as proficient than girls in the kick (x = 37.4), catch (x = 25.3), strike (x = 28.4) and throw (x = 44.1). Total skill score significantly (P < 0.01) accounted for 11% and 9.2% of the variance in physical activity and percent total body fat, respectively. Locomotor skills significantly (P<0.01) predicted 7.7% of unique variance in moderate-to vigorous physical activity, 5.6% of total physical activity, 13.4% of cardiorespiratory fitness, and 23.7% of variance in percent body fat. Object-control skills weakly predicted total body fat (2%; P=0.04) but did not account for variance in other outcomes. This study highlighted the importance of fundamental movement skills to children's health and identified the need for interventions to enhance skill competence in older children. The next stage of research sought to determine the efficacy of interventions to increase skill competence and physical self-perceptions. An exploratory study examined the effects of a 9 week afterschool multi-skills club on skill proficiency, physical self-perceptions and body mass index (BMI) in 8-9 year old children. Two schools were randomly assigned to either a comparison (n = 15) or multi-skill club (n = 19) group. The multi-skill club received 18 coaching sessions designed to improve movement skills, while the comparison group followed normal routines. Children completed the CY-PSPP and assessments of seven movement skills, and were measured for stature and mass to calculate BMI. It was found that children in the multi-skill club had higher BMI (P<0.05) and possibly lower perceptions of body attractiveness and physical condition than children in the comparison group at post-test. Participation in the multi-skill club delivered significant (P<0.01) improvements in proficiency at post-test in static balance, whilst potentially practically important improvements were observed in performance of the catch, throw and kick skills. It was concluded that an afterschool multi-skill club offers a viable opportunity for movement skill acquisition, but any such programme would need to run for a longer duration to identify if this type of activity could benefit all skills. The final study was unique in that it was the first study to assess the impact of three different 12 month interventions on children's skill levels and perceived physical competence. One hundred and fifty-two 9-10 year old children were randomised by school to one of four conditions: a bi-weekly high-intensity physical activity afterschool club (HIPA; n=36); a bi-weekly multi-skill (fundamental movement skill) after-school club (FMS; n=37); a behaviour-modification programme (PASS; n=45); or a control-comparison (CON; n=34). Outcome measures, as employed within the cross-sectional study, were assessed at baseline, 9- and 12 months. It was found that participation in the FMS group was associated with moderate positive intervention effects on skill competence and increased the likelihood of attaining proficiency at post-test skill in 7 out of 8 skills. Participation in HIPA was associated with a small positive intervention effect on locomotor skill competence, and increased likelihood of proficiency in 5 skills, while PASS had no effect on skill competence but did increase the likelihood of attaining proficiency in 3 skills. In boys, participation in FMS and HIPA were associated with higher perceptions of sports competence, condition, and physical self-worth; HIPA elevated perceptions of strength, and, FMS increased perceived body attractiveness. PASS was associated with more positive perceptions of sports competence and body attractiveness at 9- but not 12-months. In girls, there were no positive intervention effects on CY-PSPP subscales, whilst all interventions were associated with more negative perceptions of body attractiveness. No group differences were found for body fat or physical activity, which increased from baseline to mid-test but fell sharply at post test in all conditions. Boys in HIPA improved fitness levels relative to controls, whilst girls participating in the FMS and PASS groups had lower fitness at post-test. It was concluded that multi-skill afterschool clubs are most effective at improving fundamental movement skills. Afterschool clubs may provide a means to augment boys' perceptions of competence, irrespective of activity mode; however, after-school clubs do not appear to enhance physical self-perceptions in girls. Behaviour-modification programmes appear least effective at improving actual and perceived competence, but a combined structured exercise and behaviour modification programme may be necessary to improve health outcomes. A subsequent follow-up study is required to assess long term impact of the interventions. The studies within this thesis have provided a detailed insight into the effects of different interventions on children's actual and perceived competence. To summarise, it was found that many children are not proficient at fundamental movement skills, which is important given their associations with important health outcomes. A multi-skill club programme can best impact such skills, whilst other forms of physical activity can also promote skill development. Perceptions of physical competence do not appear to have strong associations with children's health at this age. The influences of interventions on perceptions of competence appear complex and gender differences suggest that different forms of interventions may be necessary for girls.

This study investigated the efficacy of three different modes of teaching elementary school students identified as severely mentally handicapped. The modes of instruction used were one-to-one instruction, sequential group instruction, and combination concurrent/sequential. The skills trained with these methods were the operation of three recreation and leisure skills: a Spiromatic, a hand held pin ball game, and a radio. The modes of instruction were then compared on the basis of effectiveness, efficiency, and situational generalization.Three children, ages 7 to 11, from an elementary school classroom for students identified as severely and profoundly mentally handicapped were employed as subjects. Each of the three leisure skills were task analyzed and taught with a forward chaining procedure and a least-to-most intrusive form of prompting in the classroom setting.An alternating treatment design was used. The design consisted of three phases: baseline phase, experimental treatment phase, and application phase. During the experimental treatment phase the three treatment conditions were run in a counterbalanced order. The application phase involved applying the most effective training condition to teach the remainder of the three tasks to the participants.Both visual and statistical analyses were used to examine the data obtained. The split middle approach was employed to conduct the visual analysis. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was used for the statistical analysis.Results of the analyses generally suggest that one-to -one instruction was superior in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. This was true for all subjects with the exception of one subject for whom one-to-one and sequential instruction were found to be equivalent in terms of effectiveness. However, the degree to which this method was better did vary among subjects. Situational generalization occurred equally with all three modes examined.
Department of Special Education

Childhood obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK and globally. Over the last 10 years, there has been a rise in prevalence of risk factors for health and a decline in physical activity. Obesity is major health risk factor for a number of other chronic diseases, some of which are prevalent in children. Regular physical activity is associated with reduced adiposity, healthier metabolic status lower risk factors of diabetes and CHD and enhanced bone mineral accrual and protection against osteoporosis. Recent literature suggests that children may not be meeting the recommended daily guideline for physical activity of 60 min per day (Riddoch et al., 2007), while others suggest this guideline is insufficient to protect against risk factors in children. Assessment of programmes promoting physical activity, with robust health related outcome measures are therefore warranted Initially, sixty-one children were recruited for a 9-week exploratory trial. The trial assessed the effect of a structured high impact exercise (STEX) and a lifestyle intervention (PASS). Changes in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) derived body composition and bone mineral were compared to age matched controls (CaNT). The STEX intervention resulted in an additional mean increase in total body BMC of 63.3 g (P= 0.019) and an additional increase of 0.011 g.cm-2 (P= 0.018) for BMD over changes observed in controls. Neither intervention stimulated significant increases in BMC or BMD at the femoral neck or lumbar spine (P > 0.05) compared with the controls. No significant changes were found in fat mass index (P > 0.05), lean mass index (P > 0.05) or percent body fat (p = 0.09) in any groups. Structured impact exercise promoted significant and clinically relevant increases in bone measures, without significant changes to body composition. The exploratory finding therefore supported the need for a larger, definitive randomised trial to confirm the results. Following this, a large cohort of Liverpool school children (n=152) was recruited for cross-sectional analysis. Measures included 3-day physical activity using a uniaxial accelerometer, maturity status, cardia-respiratory fitness and skin-fold measurements in addition to body composition, bone mineral content and density. Analysis of variance was used to uncover any sex differences, partial correlation analysis was performed to investigate relationships between health-related variables and physical activity, with maturity offset as the controlling variable. Regression analysis was performed to find the best predictor of BMC and BMD (primary outcome variable), using LM, FM, Mass, and maturity offset as predictor variables. The results showed that children participated in the recommended amount of activity. However, body fat measures indicated that the children fell between the 85th-95% percentile for overweight. Further more BMD status of both sexes also fell below reference values. The dose-response relationship was highlighted as children who participated in < 60 mln.oay" recommendation were less physically fit (P=0.001) and fatter (P < 0.001) than children achieving this guideline. Children participating in over >90 min.day" had significantly lower percent body fat (P=0.005) and fat mass (P=0.04) than children who participated in < 60 min.day" and significantly lower percent body fat (P=0.02)than all children who participated in < 90 min.day". The findings highlight the importance of the high volume ( > 90 rnin.day") and high-intensity physical activity (over 10 min.day") as a precursor to low body fat and high bone mineral in children. The one hundred and fifty-two children from the baseline cohort were allocated to 1 of 4 groups over a 12 month period. Three groups received a different physical activity intervention; a high-intensity programme ('HIPA'), a skill development programme ('FMS') or a lifestyle-based programme ('PASS'). The 'HIPA' and 'FMS' groups participated in an after-school club (2x60 min.week"), the 'PASS' group attended weekly classroom sessions (1 x week) delivered by a lifestyle coach during the school day. The control group ('CaNT') received health information. All baseline measures were repeated at 9 and 12 months (during and after) intervention. All interventions minimised fat mass accumulation, with the 'HIPA' intervention being most effective (P=0.03), implying that the high-intensity nature of the activity sessions was more effective at minimising body fat accumulation. The greatest magnitude of change in femoral neck BMC (P < 0.001) and BMD (P < 0.001) and cardiorespiratory fitness (P=0.023) was also reported by the 'HIPA' group which is likely to be attributable to the intensity of the weight-bearing activities included in the 'HIPA' programme. The findings suggested that the 'HIPA' intervention was most beneficial for health outcomes, but all interventions had significant effect on increasing time spent in physical activity. The studies within this thesis have provided a unique insight in to the current bone health status, body composition and physical activity of 9-11 year old Liverpool school children. Further data were also generated on the effect of different physical activity interventions on bone health, body composition and physical activity. The findings from this thesis conclude that a proportion of 9- 11 year old children were overweight despite meeting physical activity recommendations of 60 min.day". The high-intensity physical activity intervention had the most beneficial impact on bone health, body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness when compared to the controls. The quantity of physical activity and the time spent in high intensity activity warrants further investigation to quantify an optimal dose.

The purpose of this study is to show how the modern society, with demands, expectations and the time constraints of adults, affects children and the everyday life at the preschool. Our intention is also to show the importance of identify stress symptoms of the children.         The study is of qualitative empirical kind and is based on a questionnaire to 19 parents of preschool children at the age of three to five years old. Interviews are made with four preschool teachers on one preschool. An observation of children in possible stressful situations is made during three days each at two preschools.      The results show that the modern society affects children and can be stressful. It also affects the everyday life at the preschool. The results show the significance of having strategies to prevent stress at the preschool in order to create a balance between demands and expectations in the everyday life and time for recreation.

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the possible formation of surrogate families within Ugandan schools to provide a context for positive development experiences, especially for orphans who lack positive development opportunities provided by parents. The sample for this study consisted of 66 Ugandan Secondary School students from eight schools in the Mukono district of Uganda. This study found a potentially widespread family formation pattern between students and their teachers/coaches. More than 75% of students self-identified their teacher and/or coach as family. The results provide insight concerning why orphans and vulnerable children are forming surrogate families with staff members at school. Teachers and coaches were able to offer the students positive developmental assets and were therefore identified as family.

This session will present various cooperative teambuilding games for elementary which will create a balance between developing cooperative skills and keeping your students moving. You don’t want to miss these high energy activities to add to your program.

Childhood obesity is the most serious public health challenge of the 21st century. Whilst evidence supports a family-based lifestyle approach to childhood obesity treatment, research is needed to understand how interventions work and how practitioners can effectively support families to sustain behavioural changes in the long-term. This thesis evaluated the feasibility of a family-based behaviour change intervention for overweight children (GOALS) and explored the psychosocial process of long-term behavioural change in families with overweight children. Study 1 measured the impact of GOALS on the body composition, lifestyle behaviours and self-perceptions of children and parents who completed the intervention. A complete case analysis (n=70) showed a significant 6-month reduction in child BMI SOS (-0.07, p < 0.001) that was maintained at 12-month follow up. There was a significant year-on-year increase in the proportion of children reducing BMI SOS (42.9% year 1, 62.5% year 2, 80% year 3, p < 0.05) and a strong positive relationship between parent and child BMI change (r = .479, p < 0.001). Parents reported positive changes to their own and their children's physical activity and diet. BMI SOS reduction during the intervention was associated with improved global self-esteem and perceived physical appearance at 12 months. Study 2 explored the experiences of families six weeks into the 18-session intervention through focus groups with parents and children. Motivators to attend GOALS included the non-judgemental approach, being in the same boat as others and child enjoyment. The whole family approach was perceived positively and families used BCTs both as a core component of GOALS and to facilitate their behaviour change at home. As well as the challenges of living with childhood overweight, families described a lack of support from extended family members and a perceived need for on-going professional support. Study 3 followed up 15 families 3-5 years after they attended GOALS. Child and parent BMI was collected and parents took part in a semi-structured interview to explore their perceptions of "success" and their experiences of changing physical activity and eating behaviours. Mean child BMI SOS change from baseline was -0.47 for the 14 families who had completed GOALS. The majority of families perceived positive long-term outcomes, but these were not always aligned with actual child weight change. The most "successful" families placed a priority on changing child weight-related behaviours and parents took responsibility for these changes. While weight-control was a conscious process for these families, it was not necessarily made a "big issue" and parents used practices of an authoritative nature to facilitate change. Physical activity had become a way of life for the children, and mothers had reached a stage of feeling in control of their own weight. This is the first UK childhood obesity treatment study to follow children up beyond 12 months, and the first known study worldwide to employ qualitative methods to explore parental perceptions of long-term success. Findings provided a unique insight into the process of long-term behavioural change for overweight children and raised questions about the way "success" is defined following participation in childhood obesity treatment. Recommendations are made to enhance the delivery of family-based childhood obesity treatment and policy-makers are urged to adopt a multilevel approach to tackling childhood obesity, with child weight management care pathways that recognise the heterogeneity of familial needs. Further research is required to substantiate the impact of GOALS, and to prospectively explore the process of behavioural change in overweight children and the familial factors that serve as moderators in this process.

As every person has the right to participate in leisure, recreational and sports activities, children with disabilities have the same right to freely participate in the activities of their preference without restrictions. Community-based interventions aim to promote this right by modifying the whole environment or enhance the already existing onewith appropriate equipment. However, there is a lack of community-based interventions to promote participation in leisure activities for children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders and physical disabilities. As a consequence, this systematic literature review aims to identify those community-based interventions and point out their characteristics that are described as effective concerning children’s and youth’s attendance, involvement and activity competence. Furthermore, it is crucial to specify whether those activities are based on children’s preferences. After a scholarly search, both quantitative and qualitative studies were evaluated. Six intervention studies were characterized as appropriate to be included in the review providing important information for those interventions approaches. A narrative analysis of the results was based on the Family Participation Related Construct (fPRC) theoretical framework. Results showed that interventions were based on the children’s and youth’s preferences and intervention referred to the environment rather than to the participants themselves. Furthermore, availability, accessibility, adaptability, acceptability and affordability were all considered in the intervention process while the modification or identification of appropriate environment played a vital role in the interventions’ implementation. However, despite the fact that studies aimed to increase participation, some of the used measurements focused on activity competence rather than participation. All the above were critically discussed, giving the incentive for further research implications in the emerged results.
Καθώς κάθε άτομο έχει το δικαίωμα να συμμετέχει σε δραστηριότητες αναψυχής, ψυχαγωγίας και αθλητισμού, τα παιδιά με αναπηρία έχουν το ίδιο δικαίωμα να συμμετέχουν ελεύθερα στις δραστηριότητες της προτίμησής τους χωρίς περιορισμούς. Οι κοινοτικές παρεμβάσεις στοχεύουν στην προώθηση αυτού του δικαιώματος τροποποιώντας ολόκληρο το περιβάλλον ή ενισχύοντας το ήδη υπάρχον με κατάλληλο εξοπλισμό. Ωστόσο, υπάρχει έλλειψη κοινοτικών παρεμβάσεων για την προώθηση της συμμετοχής σε δραστηριότητες αναψυχής για παιδιά και νέους με νευροαναπτυξιακές διαταραχές και σωματικές αναπηρίες. Κατά συνέπεια, αυτή η συστηματική βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση στοχεύει στον εντοπισμό αυτών των παρεμβάσεων που βασίζονται στην κοινότητα και επισημαίνει τα χαρακτηριστικά τους που περιγράφονται ως αποτελεσματικά όσον αφορά την παρουσία, τη συμμετοχή και τη δραστηριότητα των παιδιών και των νέων. Επιπλέον, είναι ζωτικής σημασίας να προσδιοριστεί εάν αυτές οι δραστηριότητες βασίζονται στις προτιμήσεις των παιδιών. Μετά από μια επιστημονική αναζήτηση, αξιολογήθηκαν τόσο ποσοτικές όσο και ποιοτικές μελέτες. Έξι μελέτες παρέμβασης χαρακτηρίστηκαν κατάλληλες για να συμπεριληφθούν στην ανασκόπηση παρέχοντας σημαντικές πληροφορίες για αυτές τις προσεγγίσεις παρεμβάσεων. Μια αφηγηματική ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων βασίστηκε στο θεωρητικό πλαίσιο Οικογενειακής Συμμετοχής Σχεδιασμού (fPRC). Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι παρεμβάσεις βασίστηκαν στις προτιμήσεις των παιδιών και των νέων και η παρέμβαση αναφέρεται στο περιβάλλον και όχι στους ίδιους τους συμμετέχοντες. Επιπλέον, η διαθεσιμότητα, η προσβασιμότητα, η προσαρμοστικότητα, η αποδοχή και η προσιτή τιμή εξετάστηκαν στη διαδικασία παρέμβασης, ενώ η τροποποίηση ή ο προσδιορισμός του κατάλληλου περιβάλλοντος έπαιξε ζωτικό ρόλο στην υλοποίηση των παρεμβάσεων. Ωστόσο, παρά το γεγονός ότι οι μελέτες αποσκοπούσαν στην αύξηση της συμμετοχής, ορισμένες από τις μετρήσεις που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν επικεντρώθηκαν στην ικανότητα δραστηριότητας παρά στη συμμετοχή. Όλα τα παραπάνω συζητήθηκαν κριτικά, δίνοντας το κίνητρο για περαιτέρω ερευνητικές επιπτώσεις στα αποτελέσματα που προέκυψαν.

A concepção de parques infantis encontra-se diretamente limitada pelo Decreto-Lei 119/2009 e indiretamente pelo Decreto-Lei 163/2006. O primeiro tem como objetivo o aumento da segurança nos espaços de jogo e recreio, o segundo estabelece normas de acessibilidade para pessoas de mobilidade condicionada. A articulação entre os diplomas legais, e destes com outros artigos ou variáveis pode ser limitativa, mas permite inúmeras soluções que aqui se exploram por si e na aplicação aos casos concretos em questão. Com base nesta experiência, pretende-se criar uma diretriz que facilite a concepção e execução de parques infantis e definir um ponto de partida para um estudo mais amplo e abrangente das questões relativas aos espaços de jogo e recreio; ### Abstract: The design of children parks is directly governed by Decree-Law 119/2009 and indirectly by Decree-Law 163/2006. The first aims at improving safety in playgrounds and recreation parks, the second establishes accessibility standards for persons with mobility impaired. Reconciling this legal instruments, and these with other articles or variables can be restrictive, but allows many solutions that are explored here by themselves and in application to specific cases in question. Based on this experience, the goal is to create a guideline to facilitate the design and build of children parks, as well as define a starting point for a broader and more comprehensive study of issues related to playground and recreation parks.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a dinâmica psíquica de crianças vítimas de uma enfermidade grave e a possibilidade de permitir maior mobilidade da dinâmica psíquica dessas crianças por meio da técnica lúdica e do trabalho de busca de representabilidade, a partir da premissa de que a enfermidade grave na infância é uma situação traumática dentre tantas outras possíveis. Delineamos, para tal entendimento, um percurso que se inicia nas primeiras inscrições psíquicas e na construção de representações e, em seguida, apresentamos a maneira como uma situação traumática pode fragilizar a mente. Enfatizamos a possibilidade de representação, mediante as intervenções psicanalíticas, partindo do princípio de que é por intermédio da condição simbólica que o indivíduo se desenvolve. Realizamos um estudo teórico-clínico de duas crianças que foram submetidas à operação para correção de cardiopatia congênita e, consequentemente, internação em unidade de terapia intensiva. O estudo consistiu de intervenções psicanalíticas que privilegiaram o oferecimento de um continente com rêverie, com uma proposta de acompanhar a criança no confronto com questões que fogem da esfera de representações, por intermédio do brincar, favorecendo a não paralisação e o não congelamento de sua rede simbólica e de significados. O Procedimento de Desenhos-estórias foi utilizado no início e final do processo como apoio para as intervenções e avaliações. Por meio das intervenções psicanalíticas, dos recursos teóricos-técnicos utilizados, observamos algumas modificações na linha de representação dos conflitos e um início de mudança na forma das crianças brincarem e se expressarem graficamente
This study aimed to investigate the psychological dynamics of child victims of a serious illness and possibility of allowing greater mobility of the psychological dynamics of these children through recreational technical and search representative from the premise that serious illness in childhood is a traumatic situation among many others possible. Outline for such an understanding, a journey that starts in the first registration and the construction of mental representations and then present how a traumatic situation may weaken the mind. We emphasize the possibility of representation by the psychoanalytic interventions, assuming that it is through the symbolic condition that the individual develops. We conducted a theoretical and clinical study of two children who underwent surgery for repair of congenital heart disease and, consequently, admission to the intensive care unit. The study consisted of psychoanalytic interventions which recommended the offer of a continent with reverie, with a proposal to accompany the child in confronting issues that are beyond the realm of representations, through the play, not favoring the strike and not freeze your symbolic condition. The Drawing-stories was used at the beginning and end of the process as support for interventions and evaluations. Through psychoanalytic interventions, theoretical-technical resources used, we observed some changes in the line representing the beginning of a conflict and change in the way children play and express themselves graphically