Structured and Unstructured Contexts in Physical Education: Promoting Activity, Learning and Motivation
Christopher J. Kinder, Karen Lux Gaudreault, Kelly L. Simonton
Abstract
The essential role that physical activity (PA) plays in the overall health and well-being of youth is well documented. Children and adolescents in the US repeatedly fail to meet the nationally recommended PA guidelines. Consequently, schools and physical education (PE) programs have been recognized as a favorable and feasible arena to promote youth PA on a wide scale. As of recent, studies examining PA preferences found that children may prefer distinct features of unstructured PA over structured. This article describes the benefits of unstructured PA and provides innovative strategies for implementing or embedding unstructured activities in a lesson without compromising the primary goal of PE.