Training Early Childhood Educators to Increase Children's Physical Activity: The TEACH-Preschooler Study

This study aims to determine the effect of delivering a physical activity e-learning course to early childhood educators on young children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour while at childcare. It is hypothesized that levels of physical activity will increase and levels of sedentary behaviours will decrease during time spent in childcare in a sample of children who attend early childcare centres where early childhood educators have completed the physical activity e-learning course compared to children in centres where early childhood educators are randomized to not receive the intervention. Differences in changes in several secondary outcomes including fundamental movement skills, parent's perceptions of children's fundamental movement skills, children's cognitive development, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behaviours will also be examined.

In this cluster randomized controlled trials, early childhood educators from childcare centres in London, Ontario, Canada will be randomized to complete a 4 module e-learning course with content on physical activity and sedentary guidelines, physical activity and sedentary behaviours in the childcare environment, how to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours in young children, and a resource library, or to continue with their usual practices. Early childhood educators randomized to the intervention group will be asked to complete this course over a 2-week intervention period.

In both the intervention and control groups, preschoolers physical activity and sedentary behaviours will be measured at baseline, post-intervention (2-weeks) and 3-months follow-up using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Preschoolers will also complete tasks at baseline and 3-month follow-up to measure their cognitive development, and a subgroup of randomly selected children from each group will complete the Tests of Gross Motor Development - Third Edition to assess their fundamental movement skill proficiency at baseline and follow-up. Parents of children in both groups will complete a questionnaire to measure their perception of their children's proficiency at fundamental movement skills. Parents will also be asked to report on their child's emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behaviours by completing the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

Childcare Centres:

* Located in London, ON, Canada
* Have at least 1 preschool classroom
* Open every weekday
* Operate for at least 8 hours on weekdays
* All early childhood educators are willing to participate in the study
* Staff are English speaking

Early Childhood Educators:

* Employed at a participating childcare centre
* English speaking

Children:

* Enrolled at a participating childcare centre
* Between the ages 2.5-5 years at baseline
* Are expected to remain at the childcare centre for the duration of the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

Childcare Centres:

* Not located in London, ON, Canada
* Do not have at least 1 preschool classroom
* Not open every weekday
* Do not operate for at least 8 hours on weekdays
* Not all early childhood educators are willing to participate in the study
* Staff do not speak English

Early Childhood Educators:

* Not employed at a participating childcare centre
* Do not speak English

Children:

* Not enrolled at a participating childcare centre
* Not between the ages 2.5-5 years at baseline
* Not expected to remain at the childcare centre for the duration of the study period