UPA Participation
Every child has the potential to make a difference in society as a whole when they are provided with daily opportunities to be physically active. By simply having safety, security, and space, especially outdoors, children can become involved in play, or sport. In this study, there are two requisites of interest for understanding how the physical activity needs of children are being met, or not being met. These requisites are: unorganized (unstructured) physical activity (UPA) or play, and organized (structured) physical activity (OPA) or sport. In UPA, activity is in the form of play, and it is directed by the child, while in OPA, activity is in the form of sport, which is directed by an adult or authority figure.
Physical activity (PA) is …show more content…
Researchers contend that these phenomena may correspond with cultural values and parental eagerness to elevate their child’s social standing through sport (Ericsson et al., 1993; Rosenfeld & Wise, 2001). In addition, there has been an increase in availability of sport and OPA for preschoolers (e.g., Pate et al., 2013; Timmons et al., 2007). Furthermore, federal tax initiatives such as Canada’s Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, may also be contributing to these trends in early childhood sport and OPA participation due to tax credits awarded for continuous enrolment in organized PA-based programs. As such, there is a need to ascertain what is most distinctive and representative about preschooler PA (Timmons et al., 2007; Tremblay et al., …show more content…
For example, over 200,000 children have participated in the Tim Hortons Timbit Minor Sport Programs, such as hockey and soccer (Tim Hortons, 2015). Similarly, over 35,000 preschoolers were registered for gymnastics in Ontario, which comprised 44 percent of the Gymnastics Ontario’s total membership in 2013-2014 (Gymnastics Ontario, 2014). Also, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) in 2011-2012 season enrolled over 18,000 “tykes” (ages 4-7) (OMHA, 2013). Even triathlon events enrolled approximately 900 preschoolers in 2014 (Triathlon Ontario,
Physical activity (PA) is …show more content…
Researchers contend that these phenomena may correspond with cultural values and parental eagerness to elevate their child’s social standing through sport (Ericsson et al., 1993; Rosenfeld & Wise, 2001). In addition, there has been an increase in availability of sport and OPA for preschoolers (e.g., Pate et al., 2013; Timmons et al., 2007). Furthermore, federal tax initiatives such as Canada’s Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, may also be contributing to these trends in early childhood sport and OPA participation due to tax credits awarded for continuous enrolment in organized PA-based programs. As such, there is a need to ascertain what is most distinctive and representative about preschooler PA (Timmons et al., 2007; Tremblay et al., …show more content…
For example, over 200,000 children have participated in the Tim Hortons Timbit Minor Sport Programs, such as hockey and soccer (Tim Hortons, 2015). Similarly, over 35,000 preschoolers were registered for gymnastics in Ontario, which comprised 44 percent of the Gymnastics Ontario’s total membership in 2013-2014 (Gymnastics Ontario, 2014). Also, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) in 2011-2012 season enrolled over 18,000 “tykes” (ages 4-7) (OMHA, 2013). Even triathlon events enrolled approximately 900 preschoolers in 2014 (Triathlon Ontario,