Uncovering children’s affect-related reactions towards physical activities

Purpose This exploratory study aimed to identify affect-related reactions shaping physical activity (PA) among German primary school children. Methods Video and pictorial-based interviews were completed by 86 children ( M = 9.50, SD = 0.68 years, 45.3% girls) to explore their perspectives on positive and negative affective processes related to PA elicited by videos of peers engaging in different activities. Thereby, children rated their enjoyment for sport-oriented activities using a seven-point pictorial smiley scale and explained their ratings in verbal responses. For the analysis, interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results The study revealed five core categories, each comprising two subcategories, shaping affect-related reactions of children at primary school age in the context of PA: (1) perceived competence (success – failure), (2) body experience (interoception – appearance), (3) variety and challenge (diversity of experience – task demand and performance), (4) psychosocial dynamics (personal and social aspects – fear and safety) and (5) task-related preference (element of activity – environmental factors). Conclusion The study emphasizes the relevance of affect-related reactions in children’s PA, particularly during the initial phase of participation. This highlights the need to systematically integrate children’s affective perceptions in the design of physical education (PE) lessons and extracurricular sports programs to build a basis for sustained enjoyment and enhance a physically active lifestyle in long-term.