Keeping kids on task is as simple as allowing them to move

Research Question:

Do movement breaks and specialized seating that encourage movement actually reduce disruptive behaviors?

Overview:

Frequent disruptive and off-task behavior can interfere with learning and lead to teacher burnout. Research has tested whether brief, structured movement during class improves behavior and the answer is overwhelmingly yes!  Specialized seating that allows for movement is particularly effective for students with ADHD.  Proactive approaches to behavior regulation can increase in-seat time for student who might otherwise be sent out of the classroom for behavioral disruptions.  Teachers and students generally view movement breaks as feasible, acceptable, and enjoyable, especially when they are short (≤5–10 minutes), simple, and teacher‑controlled. Time pressure and worries about transitions back to work are main barriers, but stakeholders are more supportive when behavior benefits are documented.

Key insights:

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

• Multiple reviews of classroom active breaks in primary/elementary settings report consistent improvements in classroom behavior and time on task, alongside more physical activity.
• One meta-analysis of 22 studies found that active breaks significantly increased time on task in every included study.
• Reviews of newer studies (2020–2024) also report reductions in maladaptive or disruptive behaviors and better classroom climate and emotional regulation.

Individual intervention studies

• A controlled experiment of the impact of a seating cushion that allowed 30 second graders with ADHD to wiggle in their chairs yielded a 25% increase in overall behavioral ratings as compared to those not in the treatment group.
• Research on perceptions of flexible seating show that all three stakeholders- parents, children, and teachers- believe flexible seating to be beneficial to the learning experience.
• Quasi-experimental interventions with ~20–30 minutes/day of active breaks for 5–6 weeks reduced off‑task behavior and did not harm academic performance or cognition.
• A randomized trial of 4‑minute high‑intensity (HIIT) breaks improved on‑task behavior by 10–14% and reduced different types of off‑task behavior, especially in children who were most off‑task at baseline
• Acute active‑break protocols (six 4.5‑minute bouts per day) reduced disruptive behavior by about 8 percentage points and increased academic engagement immediately after the breaks.
• 50% of observations when students were seated on standard chairs indicated on task behavior, while 85% of observations when students were seated on therapy balls were recorded as on task behavior representing a 35% behavioral improvement using flexible seating over traditional seating.

Action Steps

1. Incorporate brief classroom movement/active breaks to reliably reduce off‑task and disruptive behaviors and increase on‑task behavior in elementary-aged children this can be achieved quickly and easily in classrooms outfitted with flexible furniture.
2. At a minimum, provide seating accommodations students with exceptional needs to enhance focus.  Taking this a step further, consider allow seating choice for all students such as wobble chairs, donut pillows, and exercise balls to decrease disruption and without negatively impacting academic performance.
3. Focus on communicating value to gain buy-in from stakeholders. It is not enough to put specialized seating in a room if teachers don’t know why it matters and how to use it.

References

Broad, A., Bornath, D., Grisebach, D., McCarthy, S., Bryden, P., Robertson-Wilson, J., & Hazell, T. (2021). Classroom Activity Breaks Improve On-Task Behavior and Physical Activity Levels Regardless of Time of Day. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 94, 331 – 343. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2021.1980189.

Burgoyne, M. E., & Ketcham, C. J. (2015). Observation of Classroom Performance Using Therapy Balls as a Substitute for Chairs in Elementary School Children. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(4), 42-48. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v3i4.730

Chorlton, R., Williams, C., Denford, S., & Bond, B. (2022). Incorporating movement breaks into primary school classrooms; a mixed methods approach to explore the perceptions of pupils, staff and governors. BMC Public Health, 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14551-5.

Daly-Smith, A., Zwolinsky, S., McKenna, J., Tomporowski, P., Defeyter, M., & Manley, A. (2018). Systematic review of acute physically active learning and classroom movement breaks on children’s physical activity, cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour: understanding critical design features. BMJ Open Sport — Exercise Medicine, 4. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000341.

Lassiter, J., & Campbell, A. (2019). Effect of an Elementary School Walking Program on Physical Activity and Classroom Behavior. The Physical Educator. https://doi.org/10.18666/tpe-2019-v76-i2-8648.

Marshall, T., Hoey, T., Rao, N., Taylor, J., George, P., Ghose, S., Cosgrove, J., & Patel, N. (2024). Reducing Disruptive and Distracting Behaviors in the Classroom: Assessing the Evidence Base.. Psychiatric services, appips20230543 . https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20230543.

Masini, A., Marini, S., Gori, D., Leoni, E., Rochira, A., & Dallolio, L. (2019). Evaluation of school-based interventions of active breaks in primary schools: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Journal of science and medicine in sport. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2019.10.008.

Mazzoli, E., Salmon, J., Teo, W., Pesce, C., He, J., Ben-Soussan, T., & Barnett, L. (2021). Breaking up classroom sitting time with cognitively engaging physical activity: Behavioural and brain responses. PLoS ONE, 16. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253733.

Mazzoli, E., Salmon, J., Pesce, C., Teo, W., Rinehart, N., May, T., & Barnett, L. (2021). Effects of classroom-based active breaks on cognition, sitting and on-task behaviour in children with intellectual disability: a pilot study.. Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12826.

Michael, R., Webster, C., Egan, C., Nilges, L., Brian, A., Johnson, R., & Carson, R. (2019). Facilitators and Barriers to Movement Integration in Elementary Classrooms: A Systematic Review. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 90, 151 – 162. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2019.1571675.

Pfeiffer, B., Henry, A., Miller, S., & Witherell, S. (2008.). Effectiveness of Disc “O” Sit Cushions on Attention to Task in Second-Grade Students with Attention Difficulties. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(3), 274–281.

Routen, A., Johnston, J., Glazebrook, C., & Sherar, L. (2018). Teacher perceptions on the delivery and implementation of movement integration strategies: the CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Programme. International Journal of Educational Research, 88, 48-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.01.003.

Sorrell, M. E. (2019). PERCEPTIONS OF FLEXIBLE SEATING. Journal of teacher Action research, 5(2).

Turner, L., & Chaloupka, F. (2017). Reach and Implementation of Physical Activity Breaks and Active Lessons in Elementary School Classrooms. Health Education & Behavior, 44, 370 – 375. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198116667714.

Vazou, S., Webster, C., Stewart, G., Candal, P., Egan, C., Pennell, A., & Russ, L. (2020). A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis Resulting in a Typology of Elementary Classroom Movement Integration Interventions. Sports Medicine – Open, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-019-0218-8.