The Pause, Learn, and Activate Yourself (PLAY)

Official title

Active Breaks in School: The Pause, Learn, and Activate Yourself (PLAY) Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Overview

Many children spend a large part of the school day sitting, which can limit their opportunities to be physically active. Regular physical activity is important for children's physical health, mental well-being, and positive attitudes toward movement. Schools represent an ideal setting to promote healthy behaviors, as they reach nearly all children on a daily basis. This study aims to evaluate the effects of short, classroom-based Active Breaks on children attending primary school. Active Breaks are brief periods of physical activity integrated into regular classroom lessons. These activities are designed to be fun, safe, and easy to perform in the classroom, without reducing academic teaching time. The main goal of the study is to assess whether participating in Active Breaks improves children's enjoyment of physical activity. Enjoyment is an important factor because children who find physical activity enjoyable are more likely to stay active over time. The study also examines whether Active Breaks influence physical activity levels, basic motor skills, physical fitness perception, attention and executive functions, vitality, and quality of life. The intervention lasts 12 weeks and is carried out during the normal school timetable. In the intervention group, children perform one Active Break during each school hour. Each break lasts approximately 5 minutes and includes playful aerobic and strength-based movements that require little or no equipment. The activities are guided by classroom teachers, who receive specific training and materials before the start of the study. A comparison group continues with the usual classroom routine without Active Breaks. Participation in the study is voluntary. Parents or legal guardians provide written informed consent, and children provide verbal assent. All activities are appropriate for primary school children and are conducted in a safe and supervised environment. Children may withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. The results of this study may help schools and policymakers understand whether simple, low-cost strategies such as Active Breaks can promote healthier and more active school days for children.

Interventions

• Other Teacher-led Active Breaks
  The intervention consists of classroom-based, teacher-led Active Breaks (ABs) integrated into regular school lessons. ABs are short bouts of physical activity aimed at reducing sedentary time and promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity without reducing instructional time. The intervention lasts 12 weeks and is delivered once every school hour. Each AB lasts approximately 5 minutes. All activities take place during the regular school timetable in primary school classrooms. ABs include
• Other Video-guided Active Breaks
  The intervention consists of classroom-based Active Breaks (ABs), delivered through pre-recorded instructional videos integrated into regular school lessons. ABs are short bouts of physical activity aimed at reducing sedentary time and promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity without reducing instructional time. The intervention lasts 12 weeks and is delivered once every school hour. Each Active Break lasts approximately 5 minutes and is preceded by a brief introductory segment within t

Primary outcome measures

• Perceived enjoyment of physical activity [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]

Secondary outcome measures (12)

• Motor competence [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Objectively measured physical activity [Time frame: From enrollment to the final week of treatment at 11 weeks]
• Perceived motor competence [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Physical fitness [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Objectively measured sleep quality [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Lower-limb explosive strength [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Upper limb explosive strength [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Upper limb strength [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Speed-agility [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Anthropometric characteristics [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Body weight [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]
• Standing height [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Regular participation in school activities and physical education classes.
• Ability to understand and follow the instructions related to the study protocol.
• Enrollment in the study through verbal assent from the child and written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion criteria

• Any medical contraindication to participation in physical activity.
• Musculoskeletal injuries occurring within the three months prior to baseline assessment.
• Physical or cognitive limitations that prevent participation in the planned activities.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Double blind

Primary purpose

Treatment

Study locations

Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07421128 · PLAY-IC-2025

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗