Key Takeaways

• Fewer than 1 in 4 preschoolers met daily movement goals in a UK study

• Kids moved more at daycare, but not enough overall

• Experts suggest that early childhood activity shapes long-term health

TUESDAY, Nov. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Most kiddos ages 2 to 4 aren’t moving nearly enough each day, even when they attend preschool, a new UK study finds.

Researchers tracked the activity levels of 419 preschoolers in England and Scotland using special activity belts called accelerometers. These devices recorded how much children moved during school days and days spent at home.

Fewer than 1 in 4 children, about 23%, reached the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of 180 minutes of daily physical activity. Even fewer, only 2.4%, met the goal of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day.

Children were more active on days they attended daycare and preschool settings, moving about 15 minutes more per day compared to days spent outside of care.

But most children were still not active enough overall, either at school or at home.

Boys were more likely to meet activity targets than girls, with 8% more boys hitting the guidelines. Older preschoolers also tended to be more active than younger ones.

Outside of daycare or preschool settings, children from less deprived backgrounds were more active than children from more deprived families.

But when kids were in early care and school settings, those differences mostly disappeared, showing these settings can help reduce gaps in physical activity.

“These findings highlight a critical gap in physical activity among preschoolers,” Kim Hannam, a research fellow at the University of Bristol in England and senior author of the study, said in a news release.

“While early years settings provide a more active environment, most children are still not achieving the movement levels needed for healthy growth and development,” she added.

“Our study highlights the need for coordinated strategies between policymakers, educators and families to support early childhood physical activity.”

University of Bristol professor Ruth Kipping, warned that low activity in early childhood may affect long-term health.

“Low levels of physical activity in early childhood can impact on children’s healthy development and increase the risk of a range of chronic conditions in later life,” she said.

“Early years settings play an important role in promoting physical activity and reducing inequalities, especially as government-funded childcare expands. However, the low proportion of children meeting activity guidelines highlights the need for continued investment and research to support healthy development in the early years,” she added.

The study was led by the University of Bristol, working with researchers from the University of Birmingham, University of Glasgow and Cardiff University, and was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

It was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health on Nov. 24.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on child activity.

SOURCE: University of Bristol, news release, Nov. 21, 2025

What This Means For You

If you have a young child, finding fun ways to keep them moving, even in short bursts, can help support their health in the long run.