Daily Physical Activity and Free Choice Play at River Valley School
Every student loves recess, but what about those unstructured moments of outdoor Daily Physical Activity (DPA) that break up a day of heavy learning?
Under Alberta Education’s Daily Physical Activity policy, students in Grades 1 to 9 participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of daily activity through school-organized time. While it fulfills a requirement, at River Valley School, DPA highlights an essential part of how our students learn, reset, and grow together.
Learning takes focus, and sometimes a classroom needs to take a breath. Because different grades take their DPA breaks at different times throughout the day, teachers can head outside right when their group needs a reset. If students are feeling restless after a long stretch of focused work, stepping outside gives everyone an immediate breather to clear their heads and regulate before heading back inside.
DPA offers a safe space for our students to explore, push their boundaries, and try new things. In the winter, our students work together to build snow forts. This child-led play encourages problem-solving and teamwork.
Learning Leader and Teacher Mr. Tait explains,
“It’s an opportunity for kids to practice risk-taking outside of a structured classroom environment.”
Our students also learn to embrace DPA in all types of weather, which helps build resilience and year-round appreciation for nature. There is no waiting for the snow to melt or the rain to stop; every weather condition brings its own unique opportunities for movement and wonder.
Different age groups also share outdoor spaces during DPA when they normally wouldn’t; this leads to opportunities for cross-age play. Older students have the chance to step into mentorship roles, while younger students learn new games and skills from their peers. This cross-age play creates a strong sense of community school wide, allowing friendships to form beyond the classroom.
Whether it’s connecting with friends, building forts in the snow, or taking a much-needed breath of fresh air, free-choice daily physical activity plays an important role in our students’ well-being.
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