Active Games and Cognitive Development in Preschool Children

2 x 20-30min sessions per week of physically active and cognitively engaging games over 6 weeks in small groups (5-10 children). Over a period 6 weeks the investigators will visit intervention preschool centres two times per week to deliver 2 small group active game sessions (5-10 children for 20-30 minutes). The games will provide a cognitive challenge to pre-schoolers, requiring them to use executive functions (i.e., working memory, inhibition, and shifting) while being physically active. The active games will be age-appropriate experiences developed from the research team's background in early childhood and physical education. Active games will be delivered by an Early Childhood Teacher with 23yrs experience and a 4th Year Early Childhood Honours Student. An example active game is described below. Fruit Hoops - Hoops of 2 colours are in a circle (1 hoop per child), coloured fruit cards are in middle (2 x 2 - Apples/Bananas; Green/Yellow – 8 cards & hoops), - Children move around outside of hoops to music (educator provides different locomotor movements) - When the music stops – children move to closest hoop Progression 1: Based on colour of hoop, children pick up a card of a matching colour Progression 2: Based on colour of hoop, children pick up a matching fruit Progression 3: Based on colour of hoop, children pick up the opposite colour Progression 4: Based on colour of hoop, children pick up the opposite fruit Intervention adherence will be assessed via: i) recording child attendance at intervention centres, ii) assessing physical activity during intervention sessions using accelerometry (fitted around children's waist for the duration of the intervention sessions), and iii) recording the progression level of each intervention activity, and thus the level of cognitive challenge of each intervention session.