How much exercise do our children get in their free time?
An active lifestyle is essential for the healthy development of children (Biddle & Asare, 2011; Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010), and for later adult health (Miko et al., 2020). Exercise and active play not only promote motor skills, but also enhance social interaction and cognitive development (Ball, 2002; Blinkert, 2015), reduce the risk of chronic or non-communicable diseases and improve social participation (Lee et al., 2012; World Health Organization, 2011).
How active are kids really? A look at the latest figures
International data show that only 40-46% of children worldwide play actively for more than two hours a day (Aubert et al., 2022). The figures are even lower for children with disabilities - less than 39% reach this benchmark (Ng et al., 2023). In addition, results from the KiGGS study in Germany show that free, unstructured play is declining, while participation in extracurricular and organised sports activities is increasing (Schmidt et al., 2016).
Many factors influence these trends. For example, the environment in which children live has a significant impact on their physical activity behaviour: In areas with few 'activity spaces', children are more dependent on parental support to play outside or take part in sports activities (Blinkert, 1996). Safe and easily accessible exercise areas provide the foundation for more independent outdoor activity (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V., 2014). In addition, parental concerns about safety can lead to children being less active outdoors (Aranda-Balboa et al., 2020; Jerebine et al., 2022). Children with disabilities face additional barriers, such as inaccessible playgrounds or a lack of inclusive play spaces (Ballas et al., 2022; Bult et al., 2014).
Filling the research gap - enabling more physical activity?
There is a lack of up-to-date data on the physical activity levels of primary school children with and without disabilities. Furthermore, there are no data that comprehensively analyse these prevalences in relation to key influencing factors - such as individual (e.g. gender, age, health status), social (e.g. parental support, parental safety concerns) and physical (e.g. availability of space). As a result, it remains unclear which conditions promote or inhibit active leisure time and where targeted support programmes can be applied.
The PLAYABLE research project
The PLAYABLE (Physical Leisure Activities in Children with and without Disabilities) research project is designed to provide exactly these insights. The aim is to gain a comprehensive picture of the physical activity behaviour of primary school children in Germany - both children with and without disabilities - and the factors that influence this behaviour. The focus will be on non-organised active play indoors and outdoors, active mobility (how children get from A to B) and physical activity in organised contexts such as schools, clubs and commercial sports providers. The nationwide, representative data collection will take place in spring 2025 with online questionnaires for parents and their children via the 'Forsa Omninet' panel.
The results of this study aim to support targeted measures to promote active leisure time and equal opportunities. They can provide valuable insights for researchers, politicians, educators, sports clubs and parents - with the aim of creating more and better opportunities for physical activity and inclusion
