A recent study by researchers in Ontario found that one-third of Canadian kids are barely reaching basic levels of physical literacy, and Saskatchewan is no different.
Yorkton high school student Dustin Schendel prefers to spend his lunch breaks shooting hoops in the school gym. However, his friends spend it on their phones, a growing trend across the country.
“I definitely believe that our generation is growing up addicted to our phones,” Schendel said.
This lack of physical literacy means Canadian kids lack skills such as bouncing a ball, riding a bicycle or simply going for a walk.
The study included 10,000 children from across Canada and was conducted over a three-year period.
Screentime isn’t the only thing affecting physical literacy levels. Researchers say Canadian children are seeing an increase in homework and a lack of unstructured play.
“Kids are often involved less in risky, challenging play because they’re being supervised, because they are being monitored and because there’s that fear of injury that we don’t see kids engaging in things that used to challenge their movement skills and abilities in the same way that they did 20 or 30 years ago,” said John Cairney, professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto.
However, teachers believe more should be done on the federal level.
“Until society or the upper level is saying phys-ed is important and our health is important to us, I don’t know where the change is going to come,” said Roby Sharpe, phys-ed teacher at the Yorkton Regional High School.
Until then, researchers say parents need to encourage children by getting active themselves.
Based on reporting by CTV's Alessandra Carneiro
