The purpose of the study was to observe children´s physical activity in a school environment. Different levels of physical activity on children were observed in two different school environments. Also levels of physical activity on physically active and inactive children were observed. This thesis was part of a Liikkuva koulu project and the request for the study came from two primary schools in Lappeenranta. The study group was 4th grade students from Kaukaa primary school and Kimpinen primary school (N=24). A Polar Activity accelometer was used to measure children´s physical activity. The data for this study was collected on May 2014. The participants wore accelometers on their wrists for two weeks during school hours. The accelometers gave information of different levels of physical activity and steps taken during the school day. Children´s habits of physical activity in everyday life and daily amounts of time spent on TV viewing and computer use were asked with a separate questionnaire.
The data was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 program and the statistical significance was set to p<0,05. The results of the study showed difference on time spent standing, sitting and on the amount of steps taken during the day when comparing all the participants (p<0,05). Difference between physically active children (n=14) was obtained in time spent standing and sitting during the schooldays (p<0,05). Among the physically inactive children (n=10) there were difference on time spent walking, standing, sitting and on the amount of steps taken during the day on school hours (p<0,05). Students from Kaukaa elementary school were more active on low levels of activity when students from Kimpinen spent more time sitting during schooldays. There was no difference between study groups on higher levels of activity. As a result of this study the school environment does not seem to have any influence on children´s physical activity at least not in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) which is considered to have the greatest potential for increasing health benefits. The results cannot be generalized because of a small test group. Further studies with larger test groups should be considered.