Could a gamified intermittent teaching unit in Physical Education enhance primary schoolchildren’s regular physical activity?

The main aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of a gamified intermittent teaching unit using a combination of behavior modification strategies (i.e., activity wristbands, goal-setting, educational counseling, physical activity reminders, and physical activity diaries) in the Physical Education setting on primary schoolchildren’s activity wristband-measured weekly steps. 121 primary schoolchildren (final sample = 103; 45.6% females; 9-12 years) from a public school performed a gamified intermittent teaching unit (first 15 minutes of each session, three times per week for five weeks). Several behavior modification strategies were combined during the intervention (i.e., activity wristbands, goal-setting, physical activity reminders, diary, and educational counseling) in order to promote participants’ daily physical activity. Schoolchildren’s daily steps were recorded at the baseline week and during the fifth intervention week by the Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 activity wristbands. The Multilevel Linear Model results showed that schoolchildren improved their weekly steps from the baseline week to the fifth week of the program (p = 0.044; d = 0.19). Also, schoolchildren improved the percentage of schoolchildren reaching, on average, 10,000 steps per day at week five compared with baseline week (p = 0.035; Cramerʼs V = 0.477). A gamified intermittent teaching unit using a combination of behavior modification strategies for increasing schoolchildren’s active behavior seems effective for improving their weekly steps.