TITLE:
Physical Activity of Preschool Children in COVID-19 Pandemic: Focusing on Activity Content and Exercise Intensity during Childcare
AUTHORS:
Mao Hashimoto, Takayuki Shishido, Satoru Kowa
KEYWORDS:
Childcare, Activity Time, Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) Time, Heart Rate, COVID-19 Pandemic
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.12 No.5,
May
24,
2021
ABSTRACT: The present study examined the relationship between children’s activities at a nursery school and the amount of physical activity in the COVID-19 pandemic and obtained primary data to promote future childcare activities. Healthy preschool children aged 3-5 (N = 21) participated in the survey. Childrenwore an activity tracker (Polar, A360) on the wrist of the non-dominant hand for three hours in the morning on five days, just after the state of emergency waslifted. The measurements included “activity time”, “moderate-to-vigorous physicalactivity (MVPA) time”,and “average heart rate (HR)”. The activity time was defined as physical activity time with an intensity of over 60% HRmax (maximum heart rate). MVPA time was defined as time doing physical activity with an intensity higher than 70% HRmax. From the results of this study, in childcare under COVID-19 pandemic, the activity time of each day was 37.8± 25.0min to 87.0 ± 34.7min, and the MVPA time was 4.7 ± 6.3min to 33.7 ± 26.1min, and the average heart rate was 111.3 ± 7.3bpm at the lowest and 126.8 ± 9.9bpm at the highest. In particular, the time of MVPA, which is expected to improve physical strength, was approximately 15min on a five-dayaverage, which was significantly shorter than previous studies. Children’s healthand development of athletic ability are hindered by insufficient opportunities for physical activities and exercise because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Securing exercise time and increasing exercise intensity should be considered in childcare to increase children’s physical activity in childcare.