Less than half of young people in the USA are meeting the daily physical activity requirements of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity. A mixed-methods pilot feasibility assessment of Move it Move it! was conducted in the Spring of 2014 to assess the impact of a before-school physical activity programme on student academic measures and behavioural health.

Move it Move it! encourages students and families to run/walk laps in the recess yard. Student miles are tracked and incentives are awarded at several benchmarks

Launched in 2012, Move it Move it! is a voluntary morning running/walking programme at the Integrated Arts Academy (IAA) elementary school designed to build community, increase fitness and prepare students for learning.

Self-reported surveys were administered to all consented students in grades 3–5 (N = 129). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with school personnel (N = 11).

Average Move it Move it! miles ran/walked were significantly positively associated with commitment to school and The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) mathematics testing scores. Interviews with school staff/faculty further explained quantitative results including the perceived impact of the programme on academic success and school engagement and the perceived impact of the programme on student behaviour and school climate.

Results from this pilot assessment of a community-based initiative suggested that positive academic and behavioural outcomes were associated with engagement in a before-school incentive-based physical activity programme.