Promoting physical activity in schools is more important than ever. With rising concerns around childhood inactivity and its impact on wellbeing, schools are increasingly looking for effective ways to monitor and encourage daily movement. But what's the best method?
The answer depends on your school's goals, budget, and resources. Here's a breakdown of the most common approaches and how they compare.
1. Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers
Best for: Whole-school engagement, daily activity tracking, step challenges
How it works: Students wear a wristband that tracks steps and movement. Data is synced to a central system or device.
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Pros:
- Highly engaging for students
- Objective and easy-to-compare data
- Some systems are designed specifically for schools (e.g., no phones or accounts required)
- Supports classroom, team, and school-wide activity tracking
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Cons:
- Initial cost per unit
- Requires occasional syncing or battery management
Example: Moki Bands are a school-specific solution that track steps without needing phones or apps, making them ideal for primary and junior schools.
2. Basic Pedometers
Best for: Budget-conscious schools, short-term initiatives
How it works: Clip-on devices or simple wrist pedometers count steps without syncing or software.
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Pros:
- Very affordable
- Simple to use and distribute
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Cons:
- No data syncing or long-term tracking
- Can be inaccurate or break easily
- Manual data collection can be time-consuming
3. Manual Tracking or PE Logs
Best for: Integrating physical activity into the curriculum
How it works: Teachers record activity manually using paper logs, whiteboards, or classroom trackers.
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Pros:
- No tech needed
- Encourages student ownership of activity
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Cons:
- Less reliable data
- Labour-intensive for staff
- Difficult to scale across large groups
4. Fitness Apps and Smartwatches
Best for: Older students, tech-forward schools
How it works: Students use personal smartwatches or fitness trackers that sync to an app.
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Pros:
- Advanced metrics (heart rate, calories, sleep)
- Continuous data collection
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Cons:
- High cost and equity concerns
- Requires phones, accounts, and charging
- Privacy and data security considerations
Popular fitness wearables like Fitbit, Garmin, and Apple Watch offer great features for individuals — but they’re not designed with schools in mind.
Choosing the Right Solution
When deciding how to track physical activity in your school, consider:
- Simplicity: Will staff and students find it easy to use?
- Cost: Is it scalable and sustainable?
- Data: What kind of insights do you need (individual vs group-level)?
- Privacy: Does it comply with school data policies?
For most primary and junior schools, wrist-worn trackers designed specifically for education (like Moki Bands) strike the best balance between ease, engagement, and meaningful data.
Whichever method you choose, the goal remains the same: helping students build healthy habits that last a lifetime.