Move-play-explore in Early Childhood Education

NCT06488508 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MoveEarly
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Evidence is lacking about scalable, effective and sustainable interventions to increase whole-child development in young children. Targeting worrisome trends in physical inactivity and schoolification negatively affecting young children, we will conduct a large cluster randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of professional development of kindergarten staff on kindergarten pedagogical practices regarding movement, play and exploration and child health and development over 18 months. The aim is to recruit 50 kindergartens and 500 children aged 4 years in one county in the western part of Norway to allow for detecting small to moderate effect sizes and ensuring a heterogeneous sample of kindergartens for the study of implementation. Children's physical, mental and socio-emotional development, as well as intervention implementation, will be investigated. The intervention will be developed with strong user involvement from kindergartens and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the development of sustainable solutions.

Conditions

Kindergarten Children's Health, Development, Well-being

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Movement competence and creativity

  The Test of Movement Competence and Creativity, consists of 3 standardized, multi-item movement challenges children will solve as successful or not. Measured as scores.

  Change to 18 months

• Movement competence and creativity

  The Test of Movement Competence and Creativity, consists of 3 standardized, multi-item movement challenges children will solve as successful or not. Measured as scores.

  Change to 7 months

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Physical activity and sedentary time

  Change to 18 months

• Physical activity and sedentary time

  Change to 7 months

• Standing long-jump

  Change to 18 months

• Grip strength

  Change to 18 months

• Supine timed up and go

  Change to 18 months

Study Arms (2)

Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Kindergarten staff will participate in 60 hours of professional development over 18 months focused on promotion of movement, play and exploration in the kindergarten setting.

Behavioral: MoveEarly

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Staff receive no professional development and children will receive standard care.

Interventions

MoveEarly BEHAVIORAL

The intervention has two levels: the kindergarten level and the child level. 1. Staff will receive approximately 60 hours of professional development, including 6 full-day physical seminars, 2 full-day kindergarten visits, 6 written tasks with follow-up webinars and an online resource. The focus will be how to promote movement, play and exploration among children aged 1-6 years. 2. Staff is supposed to promote children's movement, play and exploration through 7 pedagogical principles: 1. Value, understand and promote movement, 2. Value, understand and promote play, 3. Value, understand and promote exploration, 4. Create rich physical environments, 5. Create opportunities for meaningful participation, 6. Create good balance between challenge and support, and 7. Create good dialogue through action and words.

Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 4 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Enrolled in a participating kindergarten
• Born in 2020

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Western Norway University of Applied Sciences: lead

Study Sites (1)

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Bergen, 5020, Norway

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Aadland E, Sadownik AR, Rudd J, Tjomsland HE, Okely AD, Eriksen PB, Grindheim M, Joyce T, Tveten K, Varnes TK, Johannessen K, Aadland KN, Odegaard EE. Move-play-explore in early childhood education (MoveEarly) - study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial of staff professional development for quality pedagogical practices and holistic child development in Norwegian kindergartens. BMC Public Health. 2025 Dec 10. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25831-1. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 41372827 DERIVED

Related Links

• Project web page

Study Officials

• Eivind Aadland, PhD

  Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor, PhD

Model Details: Cluster randomization of 25 kindergartens to the intervention group (professional development) and 25 kindergartens to the control group (standard of care)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 21, 2024
• First Posted: July 5, 2024
• Study Start: August 19, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NO (1)