Escape Room: Be smart, Move it!: A didactic proposal to learn about the effects of physical exercise on mental and brain health in Primary Education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v63.109017

Keywords:

Escape Room, sedentary lifestyles, physical inactivity, mental health, brain health, school children

Abstract

Introduction: The high prevalence of sedentary behaviour and insufficient physical activity in childhood is a persistent problem with serious implications for health and academic performance. Schools, supported by education legislation that underlines their importance, need to promote healthy and active habits and lifestyles. Strategies such as Escape Rooms, which motivate and encourage collaboration and reflection, could be effective in teaching students about the benefits of physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour for physical and mental health.

Objective: The aim of this work was to provide a didactic experience through the 'Be smart, Move!' Escape Room for primary school students to learn about the effects of healthy habits and physical activity on mental and brain health. Participants' perceptions of learning and enjoyment were also assessed.

Results: The results showed a high perception of learning and enjoyment. Girls scored higher on enjoyment than boys, but the differences were not statistically significant. No statistically significant differences were found in perceptions of learning by grade, although students in grade 3 scored higher than the other groups. Regarding enjoyment, 6th graders perceived less enjoyment than the remaining grades.

Conclusions: The ‘Be Smart, Move!’ Escape Room proved to be a fun and effective way to acquire knowledge and reflect on the impact of healthy habits and physical activity on mental and brain health.

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Published

01-02-2025

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Section

Didactic experiences developed and investigated with empirical work

How to Cite

Violero Mellado, J., Segovia, Y., Redondo-Tébar, A., Sánchez-López, M., Bermejo-Cantarero , A., Navarro-Martínez, Óscar, Ruiz-Hermosa, A., Díez-Fernández, A., & Visier-Alfonso, M. E. (2025). Escape Room: Be smart, Move it!: A didactic proposal to learn about the effects of physical exercise on mental and brain health in Primary Education. Retos, 63, 191-205. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v63.109017