Physical activity intervention improves executive function and language development during early childhood: The active early learning cluster randomized controlled trial

Lisa S. Olive, Rohan M. Telford, Elizabeth Westrupp, Richard D. Telford

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1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of the Active Early Learning (AEL) childcare center-based physical activity intervention on early childhood executive function and expressive vocabulary via a randomized controlled trial. Three-hundred-and-fourteen preschool children (134 girls) aged 3–5 years from 15 childcare centers were randomly assigned to the intervention (8 centers; n = 170 children) or control group (7 centers, n = 144 children) in May 2019. Participants were mostly Australian (85%) and from slightly higher areas of socio-economic status than the Australian average. There was an AEL intervention effect on inhibition (β = 0.5, p =.033, d = 0.29) and expressive vocabulary (β = 1.97, p =.001, d = 0.24). Integration of the AEL physical activity intervention into the daily childcare routine was effective in enhancing children's executive function and expressive language development.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)544-558
Number of pages15
JournalChild Development
Volume95
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2024

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