The Patient's Voice in Advanced Practice Nursing: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Lived Experiences.

Parents, pedagogical staff, leaders, and the society in general share a vested interest in providing all children with the best possible conditions for a healthy and happy childhood, and on the long term, creating mentally, and physically healthy and resilient citizens. Research shows that physical activity and active play are important for child development, enhancing physical health, learning and well-being [,]. Emerging evidence demonstrates associations between physical activity and multiple health indicators already in young children such as psychosocial, cardiometabolic, bone and skeletal health [–], and research shows that a high level of physical activity early in life increases the chances of being physically active later in life [–]. Hence, interventions aiming at improving opportunities for joy of movements and integrating physical activity and active play as a natural part of all children’s lives from an early age may have an important impact on population health and well-being, both in the short and long term. However, as in many Western countries, a large proportion of Danish children and adolescents do not meet the physical activity recommendations []. There is generally limited evidence on physical activity levels among pre-school aged children; however, one report found that 22% of 5-year-old children did not meet the recommendations of 60 minutes of daily physical activity []. Moreover, substantial differences in activity levels were observed both between the most and least active children and between boys and girls within this age group [–]. The Danish kindergarten setting represents an important arena for promoting children’s physical activity, active play, and movement skill development [–]. A Danish kindergarten is a pedagogical early childhood setting for children aged 3–6 years. Denmark has one of the most comprehensive childcare systems in the world, with about 98% of all children under the age of seven attending kindergarten [], where they spend an average of 7.5 hours per day []. All Danish kindergartens are required to operate under the framework of a mandatory curriculum emphasizing play, well-being, learning, and development []. This provides an unparalleled opportunity for professionals to develop a daily environment in kindergartens that promotes active play, movement, and motor skills. Yet, there is evidence that only one in four kindergartens have a focus on enhancing activities that develop joy of movement and movement competences in children []. Furthermore, research indicate that kindergarten personnel often have limited pedagogical content knowledge related to promoting physical activity and movement in practice []. Additionally, the whole day care sector is experiencing significant challenges in attracting educated staff. This is reflected by a notable rise in failed recruitment attempts, from 16% to 29% for pedagogues between 2019 and 2022, and a persistent reliance on uneducated personnel, with over one-third of childcare staff lacking formal pedagogical training. Recruitment difficulties are especially pronounced in urban municipalities, where 64% of kindergarten leaders report substantial challenges in hiring qualified staff [].