Engaging students in activities beyond the classroom: a social-ecological exploration of primary school students’ enjoyment of school-based activities

An important consideration for schools to develop children's physical activity habits is the identification of psychosocial correlates of children's physical activity such as enjoyment. The purpose of this study was to uniquely assess children's enjoyment of school-based physical activities beyond the health and physical education classroom, including the type of activities children enjoy and the extent of his/her enjoyment. The Lunchtime Enjoyment of Activity and Play (LEAP) questionnaire was administered to 281 children aged 8-12 years, attending three primary schools in regional Victoria. In this paper, the social-ecological model levels of influence on children's enjoyment are discussed including (1) intrapersonal (individual), (2) interpersonal (social), and (3) physical environment and policy/organization variables to identify the broader influences on children's enjoyment of school-based physical activity. In order for age and gender-specific comparisons to be made for the LEAP questionnaire categories, independent t-tests were conducted. The findings revealed that the students’ enjoyment of school-based physical activities declines with age. It was also discovered that females had significantly higher enjoyment compared to males for the majority of school-based physical activities. With understandings of the types of school-based physical activities that are most enjoyable to students during school breaks, teachers and school decision makers can employ the social-ecological model insight gained within the current study to guide future school-based planning and design.