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Background: As more schools begin to include preschool classrooms, teachers and administrators may need physical activity (PA) curricula that are inclusive, specially designed for young children, and linked to PA curricula used with elementary students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to pilot an elementary PA curriculum (i.e., "Children and Teachers [CATs] on the Move") with preschoolers to identify curricular adaptations to design a PA curriculum for preschoolers that is feasible for, and acceptable to, inclusive early childhood teachers. Methods: Focus groups were held with early childhood teachers and PA program leaders after the curriculum was used with preschoolers with and without disabilities across 13 weeks. Results: Teachers and program leaders identified changes to the program's structure, rules, activities, and the creation of enhancements to promote children's participation in the curriculum (e.g., visual supports). Discussion: Several fundamental changes were necessary for the CATs program to be feasible in early childhood classrooms. Teacher and program leader feedback led to a new curriculum (i.e., "Kiddie CATs on the Move"). Translation to Health Education Practice: It is crucial to choose an appropriate and inclusive PA curriculum specifically created for young children.

Objective: This study examined the unique and interactive effects of PA volume and within-person fluctuations in PA volume (i.e., intraindividual variability in PA volume; PA-var) on preschoolers' (N = 141; 47.5% girls) ADHD symptoms. Method: Preschoolers wore accelerometers during the school day over a 2-week period. Teachers reported on children's hyperactive, impulsive, and inattentive symptoms on the ADHD Rating Scale-IV Preschool Version. Results: In the context of regression models, higher levels of PA-var were linked with lower levels of impulsive symptoms. Higher levels of PA volume were linked with higher levels of hyperactive and inattentive symptoms, but only when PA fluctuation (i.e., PAvar) was relatively low. Post hoc analyses with teacher-reported impairment as the outcome revealed a significant interaction such that the positive association between PA volume and impairment was stronger at lower, as compared to higher, levels of PA-var. Conclusion: Larger fluctuations in preschoolers' PA volume may indicate lower risk for displaying impulsive symptoms. Moreover, preschoolers with high levels of PA that remain relatively consistent throughout the day may be at increased risk for exhibiting hyperactive and inattentive symptoms and related impairment, suggesting they are unable to regulate their activity to meet expectations in the school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated the unique associations of motor competence and ADHD risk status on school functioning. Additionally, this study examined the factor structure of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Short Form (BOT2-SF). Methods: Participants included early elementary school children (N = 202, M age = 6.83, SD = 0.96, Male = 53.5%, ADHD-risk = 46.5%). Child assessments of motor competence and teacher and parent reports of school functioning were used. Results: A two-factor model of the BOT2-SF with correlated fine and gross motor factors and correlated residuals best fit the data. Fine and gross motor competence were unique positive predictors of academic performance, after accounting for the effects of ADHD-risk on academic performance. ADHD-risk was the only unique predictor of adaptive school behavior. Conclusion: Findings suggest that assessing for ADHD and motor competence in children demonstrating school functioning problems may better allow for targeted intervention in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the US Institute of Medicine guideline, preschool-aged children should participate in ≥15 minutes of physical activity (PA) per hour or 3 hours per day over 12 hours. Examinations of PA guideline compliance to date averaged time spent in PA over several days; however, children could exceed the guideline on some days and not on others. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined PA guideline compliance in preschool children based on number of minutes per hour (average method) and percentage of days the guideline was met (everyday method). Methods: PA was measured by accelerometry during the preschool day for up to 10 days in 177 children (59.3% males, Mage = 4.23). Minutes per hour and percentage of time in light, moderate to vigorous, and total PAs were calculated. Percentage of days in compliance was determined by number of days in compliance (defined as the child active on average ≥15 min/h) divided by total accelerometer days. Results: Children engaged in PA, on average, 17.01 minutes per hour, suggesting that on average, children are meeting the guideline. However, children were only in compliance with the PA guideline 62.41% of assessment days. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate the importance of examining compliance with both the average and everyday methods to more accurately portray level of Institute of Medicine PA guideline compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]