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Table 2 Reported Practices Regarding Physical Activity and Screen Time in Participating Texas Child Care Centers

From: Physical activity, screen time, and outdoor learning environment practices and policy implementation: a cross sectional study of Texas child care centers

  Expected na % (n)
Infants Only
 Developmentally appropriate play equipment offered during tummy time & indoor activitiesb 305   
  Rarely or never   1.17 (4)
  Sometimes   3.23 (11)
  Often   25.22 (86)
  Always   70.38 (240)
 Our program offers “tummy time” to non-crawling infantsb
  1x per day or less (Half-day 1x every other day)   3.06 (10)
  2x per day (Half-day 1x per day)   19.88 (65)
  3x per day (Half-day 2x per day)   27.22 (89)
  4x per day (Half-day 2x per day)   49.85 (163)
 Outside of nap/meal times, infants are placed in seats, swings, ExcerSaucersb
  30+ min   5.50 (18)
  15–29 min   37.92 (124)
  1–14 min   43.12 (141)
  Never   13.46 (44)
Toddlers Only
 Indoor and outdoor PA providedb 402   
   < 60 min (Half-day 30)   15.79 (62)
  60–74 min (Half-day 15–29)   42.86 (159)
  75–89 min (Half-day 30–44 min)   14.79 (55)
   ≥ 90 min (Half-day 45+ min)   26.57 (98)
Preschoolers Only
 For children ≥2 yrs., the amount of recreational screen time allowed each weekb 475   
   ≥ 90 min   9.31 (39)
  60–89 min   6.92 (29)
  30–59 min   12.89 (54)
   < 30 min   70.88 (297)
 For children ≥2 yrs., the amount of educational screen time allowed each weekb
   ≥ 90 min   11.57 (50)
  60–89 min   10.65 (46)
  30–59 min   20.37 (88)
   < 30 min   57.41 (248)
 For children ≥2 yrs., the amount of total screen time allowed each weekb
   ≥ 90 min   21.22 (94)
  60–89 min   14.22 (63)
  30–59 min   15.35 (68)
   < 30 min   49.21 (218)
 Indoor and outdoor PA providedb
   < 60 min (Half-day 30)   8.88 (42)
  60–89 min (Half-day 30–44)   47.78 (226)
  90–119 min (Half-day 45–59 min)   22.62 (107)
   ≥ 120 min (Half-day 60+ min)   20.72 (98)
 Adult-led (structured) PA providedb
   < 30 min (Half-day 10)   28.27 (134)
  30–44 min (Half-day 10–19)   41.77 (198)
  45–59 min (Half-day 20–29 min)   15.19 (72)
   ≥ 60 min (Half-day 30+ min)   14.77 (70)
Infants and Toddlers
 For children < 2 yrs., the amount of recreational screen time allowed each weekb 406   
   ≥ 60 min   3.35 (12)
  30–59 min   1.68 (6)
  1–29 min   7.26 (26)
  No screen time   87.71 (314)
 For children < 2 yrs., the amount of educational screen time allowed each weekb
   ≥ 60 min   3.77 (14)
  30–59 min   4.58 (17)
  1–29 min   8.36 (31)
  No screen time   83.29 (309)
 For children < 2 yrs., the amount of total screen time allowed each weekb
   ≥ 60 min   5.59 (21)
  30–59 min   5.85 (22)
  1–29 min   7.18 (27)
  No screen time   81.38 (306)
Toddlers and Preschoolers
 Outside of nap & meals, the longest time expected to be seated at one timeb 479   
   ≥ 30 min   1.52 (7)
  20–29 min   14.72 (68)
  15–19 min   30.95 (143)
   < 15 min   52.81 (244)
All Ages
 PA education (motor-skill development) provided through standardized curriculumb 481   
  Never   15.11 (71)
  1x per month   1.06 (5)
  2-3x per month   7.87 (37)
  1x per week   75.96 (357)
 Staff members restrict active play time for children who misbehavec
  All staff members   3.18 (15)
  Most staff members   1.69 (8)
  Some staff members   24.58 (116)
  Never   70.55 (333)
 Teachers/staff receive professional development on children’s PAb
  Never   6.77 (31)
   < 1x per year   19.43 (89)
  1x per year   39.96 (183)
   ≥ 2x per year   33.84 (155)
 During unstructured PA playtime, teachers/ caregivers join children in active playd
  Rarely or never (mostly sit or stand)   2.30 (11)
  Sometimes join children   38.70 (185)
  Often or always join children   28.87 (138)
  Often or always join children & make positive statements   30.13 (144)
 The facility shows visible PA support (poster, pictures, or books)d
  No support items are displayed   12.85 (60)
  A few support items is displayed in a few rooms   34.26 (160)
  Support items are displayed in most rooms   30.19 (141)
  Support items are displayed in all rooms   22.70 (106)
  1. NOTE: Infant (≤12 mos); Toddler (13–23 mos); Preschool (2–5 yrs)
  2. Boldface indicates best practice recommendation
  3. aExpected n refers to the total expected response number based on centers that reported enrolled children within the age bracket. Actual n varies due to missing data
  4. bEarly Childhood PA Survey Question based on NAP SACC
  5. cEarly Childhood PA Survey Question based on Yale Rudd Center Child Care Nutrition and PA Assessment
  6. dEarly Childhood PA Survey Question based on TX CORD
  7. Abbreviations: PA, physical activity; min, minutes; x, time
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BMC Public Health

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