Activity managers’ experiences of leading children’s physical activity in preschool: distributive leadership, challenges, and success factors

Physical activity plays an important role in children’s physical and mental health. This study examines activity managers experiences with leadership of physical activity in preschool through distributive leadership. Informants consist of nine activity managers who have participated in professional development within the project HOPP - health-promoting childhood in Verdal municipality. Individual semi-structured interviews were used as the method. Findings suggest that the activity managers experienced increased focus on facilitating and organizing physical activity, as well as on the employee’s active role in children’s physical play. Challenges in the work included a perceived lack of time for planning and knowledge sharing, sufficient staffing, and support from the principal. Follow-up from an external sports pedagogue is experienced as useful. The study indicates that distributive leadership through use of activity managers can promote work with children’s physical activity in preschool.