By: Katie Harrison

Many schools allow little time for children to exercise or be active. Rebecca Hasson, assistant professor of Kinesiology at University of Michigan, conducted a new project entitled “Active Classroom” to explore solutions.

Hasson and the other researchers are looking to add in two-minute activity breaks throughout the school day for young children by restructuring classrooms, calling the new system “a prescription for physical activity.”

So far, Hasson has found that by incorporating a few bursts of physical activity throughout the day, children may burn anywhere from 100 to 300 calories. She reports that the children were not distracted afterwards; they went straight back to their schoolwork - and not one complained about the activity break.

“This generation of kids is expected to live two to five years less than their parents, and this problem is related to diet and physical inactivity,” Hasson says. She believes children and parents will like the “Active Classroom,” but concedes it may be a tougher sell to teachers and administers.

At the very least, Savvy Aunties can learn a lesson from Rebecca Hasson’s research. Get the kids moving, even for two-minute spurts throughout the day. Mini dance party anyone?

Photo: goldenKB
Published: October 13, 2015