Pause to Play
Choose a time to pause your screens and get active!
'Pause to Play' at School
"Pause to Play" is an opportunity for schools to challenge students to turn off their screens (TV, Computer, Ipod, Cell phone) and spend that time doing a variety of other activities instead. Teachers, students and parents can compete against each other or against themselves to reduce their overall screen time. Teachers are encouraged to participate with their class or the entire school for the challenge, you can judge the winners based on the variety of different types of activities, the creativity and participation. Please see below for a list of resources you can access electronically to support your school. These resources contain curriculum and activity ideas, healthy eating ideas, and physical activity and media literacy resources.
Please feel free to download and print these resources as needed. If you require further assistance, call us at 1-800-660-5853 or email us.
Why Participate?
According to Active Healthy Kids Canada, Report Card on Physical Activity for children and Youth 2011,
- Only 7% of Canadian children and youth are meeting the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of at least 60 minutes of MVPA per day
- Canadian children are getting 6 hours of screen time on weekdays and more than 7 hours on weekend days
According to the Ontario Physical Health Education Association, some of the many benefits of physical activity they highlight on their website are that it:
- Contributes to optimal growth and development
- Builds healthy bones and muscles
- Develops strength and endurance
- Lays foundation for positive attitudes toward physical activity resulting in lasting healthy habits
- Promotes learning and creativity in school
- Improves academic performance
- Increased alertness and mental function
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- Enhances confidence and self esteem and elevates mood
- Improves attention span
- Reduces disruptive behaviours
- Increases positive attitudes regarding school
All children, regardless of background are spending too much time in front of screens. Also more than half of Canadian children between the ages of five and 17 aren’t active enough to support optimal health and development. (Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Annual Report 2008)
Preschoolers who have a TV in their bedroom have a 31% greater risk of being obese than children who do not (Dennison et al, Pediatrics, 2002)
Simple Steps to Plan a Challenge
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Step 1: Explore
Collect resources and ideas of what activities you can plan for the challenge. Explore the resources below and the links for further ideas.
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Step 2: Meet and Plan
Teachers, principals, parents and students set a meeting to get together to plan school-wide activities. Individual teachers can then plan what they can do in their own individual classrooms. Have their students help plan and lead the challenge. Ideas to plan:
- Kick Off
- Schedule of school wide activities and classroom activities
- Plan how you will track and reward students, classrooms, teachers, entire school
- Plan final celebration
- Step 3: Commit
Have students and teachers fill out promise forms
- Step 4: Play
Implement planned activities in the school and classroom
- Step 5: Track
Fill out log sheets to track individual and group activities
- Step 6: Celebrate
Reward achievements and celebrate the positive changes individuals have made
'Pause to Play' Challenge Resources for Schools
Resources to Send Home
The Health Unit understands that there may be certain situations where computer or screen use might be necessary for your work or school. Do your best to use it less than normal. Avoid screens for recreational use and make use of different lines of communication whenever possible such as phone, radio, and fax. Good luck!
Other Helpful Resources for Schools
If you have any questions please call 1-800-660-5853 or email us.
Pause to Play at Home
Do you or your family want to take the Pause to Play Challenge? Pause your screens for one week and try to fill this time off with more physical activity, healthy eating and feeling good about your body. The Health Unit has many resources with great ideas and helpful, practical tips to make your screen free challenge at home a success. Feel free to download, photocopy, and use any of these resources as needed.
More Resources
The Health Unit understands that there may be certain situations where computer or screen use might be necessary for your work or school. Do your best to use it less than normal. Avoid screens for recreational use and make use of different lines of communication whenever possible such as phone, radio, and fax. Good luck!
Here are some links you might find useful:
If you have any questions please call 1-800-660-5853 or email us.
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