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

Abstract

AbstractThis 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.