Active Play and Inactive Time

Children need to move throughout the day, everyday.

Movement and active play is important for young children's overall health and development. Daily physical activity supports childhood physical growth, cognitive development, social-emotional and behavioral development, and even learning readiness. Below you will find resources that can help you promote more physical activity through active play at your child care home or center.

Best practices

The resources on this page can help child care programs reach all of the following best practices:

“Active play time is never withheld for children who misbehave and additional active play time is given for good behavior.”
“Ensure that children are not seated for periods of more than 30 minutes (excluding naps and meals).”
“Provide all toddlers, including those with special needs, with at least 60 minutes of active play time each day.”
“Provide preschoolers with at least 120 minutes of active play time each day.”
“Provide outdoor active play time 2 or more times per day.”
“Provide structured physical activity to children 2 or more times per day.”
“Use swings and infant seats, such as Exersaucers, car seats, molded seats no more than 1 times per day, and no more than 15 minutes at a time for ANY child.”

Resources to promote physical activity through active play:

101 Tips for Increasing Physical Activity in Early Childhood

Summary : Pamphlet that provides ideas for increasing physical activity with young children.
Source: National Association for Sport and Physical Activity Education
Access: https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/community-nutrition/pdf/naspe_101_tips_earlychildhood.pdf

Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies

Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/nutrition/cacfp/ccpolicy/child_care_action_guide.pdf

GO Noodle for Schools - Indoor Physical Activity Ideas

Summary: Ideas for indoor physical activity for providers in schools and child care.
Source: GO Noodle, Inc.
Access: https://www.gonoodle.com/

Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments

Summary: Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the Go NAPSACC assessments opens up a suite of planning, learning, and implementation tools to understand further what the health best practices are and how to reach them at your child care.
Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)
Access: https://gonapsacc.org/our-focus-areas

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future

Summary: Under the section of "Get Kids Moving," find children’s activities and adult resources such as curriculums for physical activity of children under 5, training for care givers, administrative resources, guides for adapting activities and spaces for children with disabilities, and more. Find a link to a yearlong calendar that includes simple physical activities for each day of the year, as well as a link to a resource booklet Best Practices for Physical Activity (pages 6-11) that gives some ideas for physical activity specific to each age.
Source: The Nemours Foundation
Access: https://healthykidshealthyfuture.org/5-healthy-goals/get-kids-moving/

Healthy Tips for Active Play Tip Sheet

Summary: Tips for active play during inside and outside play times, including at home with families.
Source: MyPlate
Access: https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/healthy-tips-for-active-play-english.pdf

Infusing Physical Activity throughout the Child Care Day

Summary: Tips to incorporating age-appropriate physical activity, including a sample daily schedule for toddlers and preschoolers.
Source: Missouri Department of Health and Human Services
Access: https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/nutrition/movesmartguidelines/pdf/sample-daily-schedule-with-physical-activity-included.pdf

Mealtime Memo: Physical Activities in the Child Care Setting

Summary: Explains the importance of physical activity for children and gives activity ideas specifically for toddlers and preschoolers during indoor and outside play. Additional resources are included.
Source: Institute of Child Nutrition
Access: https://www.cacfp.org/assets/pdf/December+2024+Mealtime+Memo_cacfp.org/

Milestone Tracker Mobile App

Summary: Track and children’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with this easy-to-use check list. Includes a video and flyers explaining how to use the app.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Access: https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones-app/

Model Policies for Creating a Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment in Child Care Settings

Summary: This toolkit describes model policies and provides tips to on how to fulfill them.
Source: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance
Access: https://health.mo.gov/living/dnhs_pdfs/ChildCareModelPolicies.pdf

Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children

Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 63-68.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: https://www.yoursforchildren.com/nutrition-resources/TeamNutrition/Nutrition%20&%20Wellness%20Tips%20for%20Young%20Children%20--%20English.pdf

Physical Activity Cards

Summary: More than 100 physical activity cards for children ages 4-15 that can be downloaded and printed for free.
Source: University of Missouri Extension
Access: https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pub/pdf/n862.pdf

Physical Activity Cards for All Ages

Summary: 24 physical activity cards appropriate or adjustable for all ages that can be downloaded and printed for free.
Source: Alliance for Healthier Generation
Access: https://www.cacfp.org/assets/pdf/physical+activity+cards+for+all+ages/

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans – 2nd Edition

Summary: Updated guidelines for children and adolescents on physical activity. Go to Chapter 3 (pages 46-54) to view specific recommended times and activities for preschool-aged children.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Access: https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Physical Activity Toolkit for Preschool-Aged Children

Summary: A guide for early care and education centers to integrate and increase children’s physical activity throughout the day. Resources include planning and scheduling tools, sample activities, skill cards, do-it-yourself equipment tips, policy templates, and no-cost education resources.
Source: California Department of Public Health
Access: https://fsnep.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk2286/files/inline-files/ECE_PA_Toolkit.pdf

Sample Child Care Physical Activity Policy

Summary: Example of a child care physical activity policy. It outlines the amount of expected daily play, roles of staff members, screen time, and appropriate clothing, and discipline.
Source: South Carolina Early Child Care and Education
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6938/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Physical_Activity_Policy.pdf