Evaluation of the Implementation of the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development's Physical Activity Framework

Research tells us that children who take part in more active or energetic play are healthier than kids who are less active. We also know that Canadian kids are not doing quite enough active play every day to be healthy. Schools are an ideal place to add more active play into children's days because almost all children in Nova Scotia attend school daily. Nova Scotia developed a Physical Activity Framework to help schools be more active places through better environments, more opportunities for play and active lessons. The Framework will start to make schools more active places to be in Fall 2021. This is a new long-term program and we want to measure its success. The goal of this research project is to measure how the Physical Activity Framework is being used in schools across Nova Scotia. We will measure if students' physical activity levels and wellness change after being in schools that put the Framework into action. We will also ask students and teachers about how their schools are becoming more active places, like adding new playgrounds or more active lessons. We will keep track of the changes for 2 years. This project will help us understand how to make schools more active places for students. We hope the results can help other provinces develop and start physical activity strategies in their schools too.