Effects of Using Classroom-based Physical Activities to Improve Youths Behavior and Ability to Focus Ashley Raymond Clemson University Youth Development Leadership Introduction As budgets and standardize testing have now been prioritized in the public school system, many school administrators are cutting back on recess and physical education hours. Through play and physical activity youth can develop self control, behavioral, and motor skills. Problem The concept that play is needed for positive youth development is nothing new, but it has been ignored by many parents and educators. As classrooms keep decreasing the amount of time “wasted” on play and physical activity to focus on more “important” testing preparations it actually begins to hinder the youths’ learning with an increase in disruptive behaviors. Questions 1.How do classroom teachers report afterschool participants’ focus, time spent on task, concentration, and behavior while completing a lengthy program survey measure when physical activity breaks are incorporated into the survey session? 2.Is there an observed difference between after school participants’ focus, time spent on task, concentration, and behavior during the survey time prior to the activity and the time after the activity? 3.What were the observed characteristics of youth behaviors before, during, and after the implementation of the physical activity intervention? 4.What were the observed characteristics related to the physical activity intervention’s implementation by the classroom teacher? Purpose Statement The purpose of this study is to assess how effective the use of physical activity breaks can aid in improving behavior, focus, time spent on task, and concentration. Review of Literature Below age 11 most children experience difficulty sitting still for sustained periods of time. In play, children discharge energy, prepare for life’s duties, achieve difficult goals, and relieve frustrations (Landreth 2002). In 2001 researchers replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s, in which psychological researchers asked kids ages 3,5, and 7 to do a number of exercises. The results showed that today's 5 year olds were acting at the level of 3Year olds 60 years ago and today’s 7year olds were barely approaching the level of a 5year old 60 years ago (Spiegel 2008). Today, many children do not have enough play opportunities at home because of TV, video games, movies, and the computer. In many instances pretend play with siblings and neighborhood children is not available (Bodrova & Leong 2005). Research looking at how the use of play intervention with youth who have behavioral disabilities would increase their behavior, language, play, and social skills showed that children in the intervention group became less socially disruptive and more connected with their peers over the six month period whereas the comparison group became slightly more socially disconnected and disruptive (Connor & Stagnitti 2011). Participants This study will focus on youth in third grade through sixth grade who are involved in GoalPOST(Goal-oriented Performance in Out of School Time), an afterschool program already in place at Pendleton Elementary School that offers extra help to enrolled at risk youth. Research Method Qualitative design Teacher observations of this survey session compared with last semesters surveys will be recorded using a scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Teacher daily observations of youth behaviors, focus, and concentration will be asked in a semi-structured questionnaire. Survey time pre and post activity observations will be documented by the author. Observations will be coded and analyzed for themes. Conclusion Observations from this study hope to: Support and locally spread the importance of play to improve classroom behaviors, focus, and concentration. Show that these activities could also be used to increase the classroom performances of youth in various grade levels.